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ON  THE    CARE    OF  THE 

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POPULAR  ESSAYS 


UPON   THE   CARE   OF  THE 


TEETH  AND  MOUTH 


By   VICTOR  C.    BELL,   A.B.,   D.D.S. 

LECTURER    OF   THE    BOARD    OF   EDUCATION,    NEW    YORK    CITY,    LATE    LECTURER    AT  THE 
NEW    YORK  DENTAL   SCHOOL,    SENIOR    DEMONSTRATOR    IN   THE   NEW    YORK 
COLLEGE   OF   DENTISTRY,   AND   DENTAL   SURGEON  TO 
THE   GERMAN    POLYCLINIC 


THIS   BOOK    HAS   RECEIVED    "HONORABLE   MENTION       AT   THE 
PAN-AMERICAN   EXPOSITION 


EIGHTH  EDITION,    CAREFULLY  REVISED 


ADOPTED  BY  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY  AS  A  IK. XI 
BOOK  AND  SUPPLEMENTARY  READER  IN  THE  SCHOOLS 


NEW  YORK 

PARKER   P.    SIMMONS 

LONDON 
I908 


34 


)^og 


Copyright,  1894,  by 
VICTOR  C.  BELL,  A.  B.,  D.  D.  S. 

Copyright,  1896,  by 
VICTOR  C.  BELL,  A.  B.,  D.  D.  S. 

Copyright,  1907,  by 
VICTOR  C.  BELL,  A.  B.,  D.  D.  S. 


All  rights  reserved 


Press  of  J.  J.  Little  &  Co., 
New  York 


PREFACE. 

This  work  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  observations 
made  in  daily  practice.  For  years  the  author  has 
noted  and  deplored  the  lack  of  information  upon 
dental  subjects  that  is  displayed  by  people  of  other- 
wise great  general  intelligence.  This  is  the  more  to 
be  lamented,  because  the  subject  is  a  vital  one,  and 
the  consequences  of  ignorance  must  be  felt  during 
the  whole  life.  He  candidly  believes  that,  were  the 
information  contained  in  this  little  book  generally 
diffused  and  its  teachings  well  followed,  not  only 
would  very  much  pain  and  suffering  be  prevented, 
but  the  general  term  of  human  life  would  be  per- 
ceptibly lengthened. 

This  book  has,  therefore,  been  prepared  in  the 
hope  that  it  may  in  some  way  be  used  to  spread  a 
knowledge  of  the  importance  of  the  dental  organs 
among  the  people,  especially  the  young,  through 
the  medium  of  the  schools.  It  has  not  been  writ- 
ten especially  for  dentists,  and  hence  simplicity  of 
language  has  been  cultivated,  and  technical  terms 
have  been  avoided.    But  at  the  same  time  the  hope 


2  PREFACE. 

is  indulged  that  professional  men  may  find  it  useful 
for  the  purposes  indicated,  and  it  is  therefore  dedi- 
cated to  dental  practitioners  and  their  patients. 

The  author  desires  to  acknowledge  the  great  obli- 
gations under  which  he  rests  to  Professors  W.  C. 
Barrett,  Frank  Abbott,  Dr.  William  Carr,  and  J. 
B.  Littig,  for  valuable  suggestions  and  assistance. 

New  York,  January  i,  1908. 


PREFACE     TO     THE     EIGHTH 
EDITION. 

This  edition  has  been  revised  throughout,  and  a 
few  additions  made  to  the  text. 

I  have  reason  to  congratulate  myself  on  the  fact 
that  my  work  has  been  so  favorably  received,  a  large 
edition  having  been  rapidly  exhausted.  I  do  not 
assign  this  result  so  much  to  the  merits  of  this  little 
volume  as  I  do  to  the  fact  that  the  special  study  of 
the  mouth  and  teeth  has  been  recognized  as  essen- 
tial to  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  hygiene;  and 
it  is  very  gratifying  to  note  that  among  the  first  to 
acknowledge  this  truth  was  the  Board  of  Education 
of  New  York  City  in  1895. 

Victor  C.  Bell. 

New  York,  November  20,  1907. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

\S  PAGE 

Chapter        I — Introductory,             .           .           .  .7 

Chapter       II — Cleanliness,            ....  14 

Chapter     III — Filling  the  Teeth,    .            .            .  .22 

Chapter      IV — Extraction  of  Diseased  Teeth,           .  32 

Chapter       V — Artificial  Teeth,       .            .            .  .40 

Chapter      VI — Advice  to  Mothers,      y.            .            .  48 

Chapter    VII — Children's  Teeth,      .            .            .  .61 

Chapter  VIII — Crown  and  Bridge  Work,          .           .  70 

Chapter      IX — Fractured  Jaws,         .            .            .  -75 

Chapter       X — Cleft  Palate,         .           .            .            .  82 

Chapter     XI — Hints  on  Home  Remedies,    ,y         .  .    89 

Chapter    XII — Quackery,                ....  105 

Chapter  XIII — The  Necessity  of  School  Instruction  in  >J 

Dental  Hygiene,     .           .           .  .114 


CARE    OF    THE    TEETH    AND 

MOUTH. 

CHAPTER   I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

"  Doctor,  does  not  the  cleaning  of  the  teeth  by 
dental  instruments  ruin  them  ?  " 

"  In  filling  the  teeth  are  not  their  nerves  killed, 
and  their  vitality  thus  destroyed  ?  " 

"  Can  aching  teeth  be  made  serviceable?" 
"  Is  not  the  gas  that  is  administered  for  extrac- 
tion very  dangerous  in  its  action  ?  " 

"  Are  not  false  teeth  taken  from  the  dead  ?  " 
"  Is  not  food  tasteless  to  the  wearer  of  artificial 
teeth?" 

Questions  such  as  these  are  constantly  asked  the 
practicing  dentist. 

"  Miss  A.,  why  do  you  not  attend  to  your  teeth?  " 


8  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

"  O !  I  am  so  afraid  of  the  dentist  and  his  tor- 
turing instruments." 

"Mr.  B.,  why  do  you  not  have  your  teeth  put 
in  order  ?  " 

"  Well,  I'm  too  busy,  and  just  now  they  do  not 
bother  me." 

Thus  it  is  that  Miss  A.  and  Mr.  B.  neglect  these 
essential  organs,  until  decay  and  disease  have  so  far 
progressed  that  they  are  beyond  the  skill  of  the 
dentist,  and  irretrievably  lost. 

How  often  do  patients  present  themselves  to  the 
dentist  with  teeth  so  filthy  that  one  recoils  with 
disgust  and  aversion  at  beholding  them.  Add  to 
this  a  number  of  ulcerated  roots,  or  decayed  teeth 
with  large  cavities  in  which  decomposing  food 
remains  for  weeks  and  months,  and  you  will  no 
longer  wonder  why  sometimes  the  breath  of  an  in- 
dividual is  so  offensive  and  foul  that  his  presence 
is  unbearable.  Wherever  there  is  decomposition 
of  organic  matter,  there  innumerable  colonies  of 
microbes,  the  germs  of  disease,  are  generated. 
Through  a  mouth  thus  infected,  can  any  individual 
pass  his  food  and  yet  wonder  why  he  suffers  from 
indigestion  ?  An  eminent  writer,  speaking  upon  this 
subject,  says: 

"  The  stomach  may  be  compared  to  a  stove ;  the 
food,  to  the  fuel  consumed  by  the  stove;  and  life, 


INTRODUCTORY   CHAPTER. 


to  the  heat  given  off  by  the  glowing  coals.  The 
stomach  is  an  excellent  stove,  and  will  burn  much 
bad  fuel.  But  have  a  care  lest  it 
rebel,  and  the  fire  be  extinguished." 
To  maintain  a  vigorous  and  sus- 
tained vital  glow,  the  food  taken 
into  the  stomach  must  be  thor- 
oughly ground  by  the  teeth,  and 
mixed  with  the  saliva,  and  it  must 
not  be  mingled  with  any  deleterious 
accumulations  in  the  mouth. 

Good  health  demands  thorough 
digestion;  thorough  digestion  de- 
mands thorough  mastication,  and 
thorough  mastication  demands 
sound  and  healthy  teeth.  Ulcerated 
roots  and  decayed  teeth,  an  in- 
flamed mouth  and  vitiated  saliva, 
are  poorly  fitted  to  supply  the  stomach  with  food  that 
can  be  properly  digested  and  assimilated. 

Abscesses  with  agonizing  pains,  necrosed  jaws 
and  probable  disfigurement  of  the  face,  with  tu- 
mors and  foreign  growths  of  varying  character, 
frequently  result  from  a  neglected  mouth. 

Many  other  diseases,  as  of  the  eye,  ear,  and  the 
cavities  of  the  head,  often  the  most  difficult  to  diag- 
nose, may  be  traced  directly  to  an  unhealthy  condi- 


The  Stomach. 


IO  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

tion  of  the  teeth.  But  a  short  time  ago,  I  was  vis- 
ited by  a  young  lady  whose  eyes  were  so  badly 
affected  that  she  could  see  only  with  great  difficulty. 
Medical  treatment  had  failed  to  relieve  her.  Hav- 
ing trouble  with  her  teeth,  she  found  it  necessary 
to  consult  the  dentist;  and  with  the  curing  of  her 
dental  troubles  her  eyesight  was  restored. 

I  have  seen  the  most  robust  patients  shattered  in 
health  by  dental  troubles.  Who  is  not  familiar  with 
the  acute  suffering  with  which  the  development  of 
an  abscess,  or  swelling  on  the  gums  or  face,  is 
accompanied?  The  pain  is  not  only  agonizing,  but 
the  general  health  is  affected.  Surgeons  and  den- 
tists are  daily  called  upon  to  perform  operations 
for  the  removal  of  the  necrosed  portions  of  bones,  of 
tumors  of  the  most  formidable  character,  and  some- 
times even  for  the  removal  of  the  entire  jaw.  There 
is  not  a  disease  to  which  the  human  body  is  liable 
that  is  not  aggravated  by  an  unhealthy  condition  of 
the  teeth. 

It  is  marvelous  to  observe  how  men  will  spend 
money  in  the  most  extravagant  manner  for  outward 
show,  or  will  wear  away  the  best  part  of  their  lives 
in  the  accumulation  of  wealth,  and  yet  never  give  a 
thought  or  a  penny  to  the  preservation  of  health. 
But  there  will  come  a  day  when  disease  shall  have 
so  wasted  their  system  as  to  place  its  recovery  be- 


INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER.  II 

yond  all  medical  skill,  and  then  they  will  realize  the 
full  consequences  of  their  neglect. 

It  is  in  the  comprehension  of  these  facts  that  I 
have  written  this  book.  In  it  I  shall  discuss  the 
following  topics : 

i.  Cleanliness. 

2.  Filling  the  teeth. 

3.  Extraction  of  diseased  teeth. 

4.  Artificial  teeth. 

5.  Advice  to  mothers. 

6.  Children's  teeth. 

7.  Crown  and  bridge  work. 

8.  Fractured  jaws. 

9.  Cleft  palate. 

10.  Hints  on  home  remedies. 

11.  Quackery. 

12.  The  Necessity  of  School  Instruction  in  Den- 

tal Hygiene. 

I  have  adopted  this  system  of  division  because  I 
think  it  not  only  the  most  logical,  but  that  which  is 
best  calculated  to  give  the  reader  a  knowledge  of 
the  dangers  incurred  by  neglect  of  the  teeth  and  of 
the  best  remedial  measures  to  be  employed  when 
suffering  from  such  a  course. 

Before  concluding  this  chapter,  I  may  say  that 
the  lack  of  knowledge  displayed  by  the  popular 


INTRODUCTORY   CHAPTER.  IJ 

mind  on  these  subjects  has  aroused  in  me  the  desire 
to  place  before  my  readers,  in  a  concise  form,  such 
information  as  will  be  of  service  to  them  in  all 
dental  emergencies,  and  which,  if  carefully  fol- 
lowed, will  add  to  their  health  and  strength  and  to 
their  consequent  happiness. 

In  preparing  these  pages,  I  have  had  primarily 
before  me  the  fact  that  just  such  a  book  is  needed, 
to  throw  some  light  upon  a  common  subject  that  is 
not  sufficiently  considered  in  the  ordinary  courses 
of  school  instruction. 

I  have  endeavored  to  avoid  the  use  of  technical 
terms,  and  to  study  simplicity  in  the  language  em- 
ployed, as  it  is  my  sole  intention  to  interest  the 
popular  mind  with  matters  which  are  familiar  to  the 
medical  and  dental  professions. 


CHAPTER   II. 


CLEANLINESS. 


The  importance  of  keeping  the  mouth  free  from 
remnants  of  food  and  masses  of  tartar  cannot  be  too 
strongly  impressed  upon  the  reader.  It  is  no  exag- 
geration to  say  that  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  all 
dental  troubles  are  the  direct  outcome  of  uncleanli- 
ness.  When  particles  of  food  are  allowed  to  accu- 
mulate upon  and  between  the  teeth,  fermentation, 
which  will  be  subsequently  explained,  takes  place, 
and  decay  is  the  result.  Or  putrefaction  may  ensue, 
and  the  mouth  become  a  very  center  of  disease  and 
infection.  If  the  mouth  could  be  kept  perfectly 
clean  and  pure,  teeth  would  never  decay,  but  as 
this  is  impossible,  it  only  remains  for  us  to  clean 
the  teeth  thoroughly  after  each  meal,  that  the  par- 
ticles of  food  may  be  as  perfectly  removed  as  is 
practicable. 

Tartar. — This  is  a  deposit  of  animal  and  mineral 
matter,  precipitated  from  the  fluids  of  the  mouth 
upon  the  teeth.     Sometimes  it  accumulates  in  such 


CLEANLINESS.  1$ 

large  quantities  as  completely  to  incrust  them.  It 
imparts  to  the  teeth  a  greenish,  yellowish,  darkish, 
and  sometimes  a  white  color.  Its  effects  upon  the 
teeth  are : 

i.  It  makes  the  gums  spongy  and  sloughy,  and 
causes  them  to  bleed  at  the  slightest  irritation. 

2.  It  produces  suppuration  of  the  gums,  and  pus 
accumulates,  sometimes  in  considerable  quantities, 
making  the  mouth  exceedingly  unwholesome. 

3.  It  forces  the  gums  from  the  teeth,  and  work- 
ing its  way  between  them  produces  such  an  absorp- 
tion of  the  bony  sockets  as  to  cause  the  latter  either 
to  fall  out  of  their  own  account,  or  to  be  taken  out 
at  the  least  exhibition  of  any  force. 

4.  It  vitiates  the  saliva,  and  as  this  fluid  is  essen- 
tial to  digestion,  the  digestive  apparatus  is  deranged 
and  the  entire  system  is  disturbed. 

5.  It  imparts  a  disagreeable  odor  to  the  breath. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  disgusting  features  of  a  filthy 
mouth,  and  makes  the  sufferer  obnoxious  to  all. 

If,  then,  one  would  preserve  his  teeth  and  avoid 
these  diseases,  he  should  keep  them  free  from  de- 
caying food  and  tartar  by  the  most  unremitting 
attention.  This  cannot  be  done  by  merely  polish- 
ing the  exposed  surfaces. 

When  once  allowed  to  become  incrusted  with 
tartar,  no  one  can  thoroughly  clean  his  own  teeth, 


1 6  CARE   OF   THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

because  he  can  neither  see  where  the  masses  are, 
nor  can  he  use  the  proper  instruments  for  their 
removal.  The  work  can  only  be  well  done  by  the 
dentist.  Everyone,  then,  should  visit  his  dentist  at 
least  twice  each  year,  for  cleaning  and  examination 
of  his  teeth. 

We  often  hear  the  question  asked,  if  cleaning  the 
teeth  with  instruments  does  not  injure  the  enamel, 
or  if  they  are  not  so  irritated  as  to  cause  disease; 
and  perhaps  instances  are  cited  in  which  the  teeth 
of  friends  have,  in  their  imagination,  been  led  to 
decay  because  of  the  work  done  upon  them  by  some 
dentist  in  cleaning. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true  that,  when  teeth  are 
cleaned,  cavities  of  decay  that  were  masked  by  tar- 
tar are  uncovered;  but  in  such  instances  the  cause 
existed  before  professional  aid  was  sought. 

Neither  the  medicines  nor  the  instruments  em- 
ployed by  a  good  dentist  will,  in  any  case,  injure 
the  teeth.  In  the  first  place,  no  respectable  prac- 
titioner would  employ  any  remedies  that  could  be 
harmful.  In  the  next  place,  the  instruments  are  of 
the  finest  make,  while  the  enamel  is  too  hard  to  be 
abraded  by  them.  The  pain  complained  of  is  caused 
by  the  removal  of  the  tartar  that  has  been  allowed 
to  accumulate  beneath  the  gums,  and  which  had 
forced  them  from  the  necks  of  the  teeth,  leaving 


CLEANLINESS.  1 7 

that  portion  bare  and  exposed.  A  few  days  will 
accustom  them  to  the  changed  condition,  when  the 
irritation  will  subside. 

The  decay  of  which  the  patient  complains  was  not 
caused  but  revealed  by  the  cleaning.  Sooner  or 
later  it  would  have  manifested  itself,  as  the  coatings 
of  filth  and  tartar  had  been  silently  doing  their  work 
of  destruction,  and  the  cleaning,  far  from  inducing 
the  decay,  simply  exposed  its  existence,  and  warned 
the  patient  to  check  its  further  progress. 

After  the  teeth  have  been  thoroughly  cleaned  by 
the  dentist,  to  preserve  them  in  this  condition  the 
patient  should  wash  them  with  lukewarm  water,  and 
polish  frequently  with  a  powder  or  mouth-wash, 
using  a  soft  brush. 

Lukewarm  water  should  be  used,  because  it 
cleanses  much  more  effectively  than  either  that 
which  is  very  cold  or  very  warm,  and  because,  even 
if  the  cold  and  warm  water  could  clean  as  perfectly, 
they  should  still  be  avoided,  as  they  act  injuriously 
upon  the  teeth. 

Every  layman  has  no  doubt  observed  for  himself 
the  physical  law  that  heat  expands,  while  cold  con- 
tracts bodies.  No  one  would  think  of  removing  a 
glass  tumbler  from  a  basin  of  very  cold  to  very  hot 
water,  or  vice  versa,  because  he  knows  that  the  rapid 
expansion  or  contraction  which  would  follow  might 


15  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

break  the  glass.  It  is  in  a  similar  manner  that  the 
enamel  of  the  teeth  may  be  cracked  when  very  cold 
or  very  warm  substances  succeed  each  other  in  the 
mouth. 

In  choosing  a  brush,  select  a  soft  rather  than 
a  harsh  one,  as  the  latter  irritates  and  abrades  the 
gums.  Brush  from  the  gums  toward  the  summits 
of  the  teeth,  or  longitudinally,  and  not  trans- 
versely. By  brushing  across  them,  particles  of  food 
are  forced  between  the  teeth,  where  they  may  be- 
come centers  of  decay.  After  using  the  brush,  wash 
it  carefully,  that  all  decomposable  matter  which 
may  have  been  caught  by  the  bristles  may  be 
removed. 

In  the  absence  of  a  brush,  a  silk  thread  is  an  excel- 
lent substitute.  By  forcing  it  between  the  teeth,  all 
matter  which  may  have  lodged  there  is  removed. 
Indeed,  floss  silk,  prepared  for  this  purpose,  is  an 
excellent  thing  with  which  to  supplement  the  tooth 
brush. 

Powders  and  mouth-washes,  when  free  from 
acids,  should  be  employed  in  cleaning  the  teeth. 
Great  care  and  judgment  should,  however,  be  exer- 
cised in  their  selection.  Indeed,  the  preference  should 
decidedly  be  given  to  such  as  are  prepared  by 
experienced  dentists  themselves,  by  men  whose 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  dental  science 


CLEANLINESS.  1 9 

qualifies  them  to  put  such  articles  before  the 
public. 

While  there  are  undoubtedly  many  good  prepa- 
rations of  this  character,  there  are  countless  powders 
and  washes  which  are  worse  than  useless,  because 
they  are  positively  injurious  to  the  teeth.  Some  of 
them,  for  example,  contain  acids  which,  it  is  true, 
clean  the  teeth  very  rapidly,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
they  surely  cause  their  destruction. 

The  teeth  are  composed  chiefly  of  mineral  salts. 
Acids  have  a  great  affinity  for  these,  and,  when 
brought  in  contact  with  the  teeth,  corrode  or  dis- 
solve them,  in  this  way  making  their  surfaces  rough, 
and  bringing  about  their  ultimate  destruction.  An- 
other fatal  error  committed  by  most  manufacturers 
is  that  all  their  preparations  are  put  up  with  a  view 
to  flatter  the  palate  by  sweetening.  This,  of  course, 
makes  the  use  of  large  quantities  of  sugar  or  similar 
ingredients  necessary. 

Sugar  in  the  mouth  very  readily  undergoes  a 
chemical  change  and  is  converted  into  an  acid. 
Again,  from  a  sense  of  pure  economy,  the  majority 
of  tooth-powders  are  made  of  cheap,  gritty,  and 
coarse  materials  which  abrade  the  enamel,  and  in 
this  way  frequently  become  the  primary  cause  of 
the  decay  of  the  teeth. 

It  is  my  candid  belief  that  the  legislature  should 


20  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

enact  a  law  rigidly  requiring  on  the  part  of  the 
manufacturers  of  dental  preparations  a  thorough 
professional  knowledge  of  the  chemical  composition 
of  the  teeth  and  of  the  laws  which  govern  their 
preservation. 

It  is  sufficient  to  use  tooth-powder  every  other 
day,  and  preferably  before  retiring  at  night,  when 
one  has  ample  time  to  brush  the  teeth  carefully.  It 
is  certainly  extremely  important  to  have  the  mouth 
thoroughly  clean  before  going  to  sleep.  At  other 
times  a  brush  and  water  will  suffice.  After  the  teeth 
have  been  carefully  brushed,  the  mouth  should  be 
rinsed  daily  with  an  astringent  mouth-wash  or 
mouth-elixir. 

Such  washes  should  be  composed  of  ingredients 
which  will  not  only  remove  inflammatory  condi- 
tions of  the  mouth,  but  also  harden  the  gums,  purify 
the  breath,  and  at  the  same  time  act  as  a  germicide. 

Lime  water  should  occasionally  be  used  to  over- 
come extreme  acidity  of  the  mouth.  Its  peculiar 
virtue  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is  an  alkali — that  is,  it 
neutralizes  the  effects  of  acids.  Such  acids  may  not 
only  be  contained  in  our  food,  but  sometimes  even 
in  the  saliva  itself,  the  latter  condition  often  existing 
when  a  person  is  in  a  state  of  debility. 

Those  who  object  to  lime  water  because  of  its  un- 
pleasant taste,  may  remove  this  objectionable  feature 


CLEANLINESS.  21 

by  using  with  it  a  few  drops  of  oil  of  rose  or  cologne 
water. 

If  the  directions  here  given  are  carefully  followed, 
a  clean  mouth,  pure  breath,  firm  gums,  and  sound 
teeth  will  be  the  result. 


CHAPTER   III. 


FILLING   THE   TEETH. 


Judging  from  the  questions  constantly  asked  the 
dentist,  it  is  no  exaggeration  to>  say  that  very  few 
people  have  a  clear  conception  of  the  causes  which 
lead  to  decay  of  the  teeth. 

Experiments  and  observation  have  shown  that 
these  are  numerous.  Chief  among  them  is  the  fer- 
mentation of  particles  of  food  lodged  between  the 
teeth,  or  in  their  pits  or  depressions,  during  masti- 
cation. When,  through  carelessness  or  indifference, 
these  deposits  are  not  removed,  under  the  influence 
of  the  warmth,  moisture,  and  the  microbes  present, 
fermentation  or  chemical  change  takes  place  and  an 
acid  is  generated;  and  this  dissolves  the  enamel  and 
dentine,  leaving  a  cavity,  which  constantly  grows 
larger  and  deeper. 

The  dentine  is  of  a  tubular  structure,  and  into 
these  tubules  the  microbes  which  constantly  ex- 
ist in  the  mouth  penetrate,  where  they  continue 
their  destructive  effect  until  the  tooth  is  com- 
pletely destroyed. 


FILLING  THE   TEETH.  23 

Microbes  are  minute  vegetable  organisms,  some 
of  the  many  species  of  which  are  so  small  that  they 
are  only  visible  under  the  highest  powers  of  the 
microscope.  They  are  the  cause  of  a  large  class  of 
infectious  or  contagious  diseases,  and  between  them 
and  the  body  there  is  a  constant  struggle. 

The  process  of  fermentation  is  of  itself  but  the 


>0«JL 
••ft 


•r 


Microbes,  micro-organisms  or  bacteria,  greatly  enlarged. 

growth  and  multiplication  of  these  minute  organ- 
isms, and  in  this  process  of  their  life-history  they 
produce  the  acids  and  other  poisonous  material 
which  make  them  so  fatal  to  mankind.  Their  num- 
ber is  inconceivable. 

These  are  the  direct  causes  of  decay  of  the  teeth. 
But  there  also  exist  indirect,  or  contributing  causes ; 
and  these  may  be  anything  which  will  lower  the 
general  tone  of  the  system  and  make  it  less  able  to 
resist  the  action  of  deleterious  agents. 

Among  these  secondary  causes  producing  decay 
may  be  mentioned  any  protracted  sickness,  the  lack 


24  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

of  outdoor  exercise,  excessive  study,  anxiety,  or 
worry,  which  undermine  and  weaken  the  system. 
When  the  body  is  ill,  no  one  organ  can  be  said  to 
be  perfectly  sound. 

The  teeth  may  be  crowded  or  depressed,  or  there 
may  be  fissures  which  offer  a  ready  means  for  lodg- 
ment of  food.    The  walls  of  the  teeth  may  not  be 

4vj       i  hi'.* 

Other  forms  of  microbes,  greatly  enlarged. 

dense,  and  their  power  of  resisting  decay  may  be 
very  weak;  or  the  food  may  not  contain  the  neces- 
sary elements  for  nourishing  the  teeth,  and  hence 
the  work  of  repairing  the  wear  and  tear  of  daily  use 
may  be  but  poorly  accomplished. 

Again,  there  may  be  a  hereditary  tendency  to 
decay.  That  our  ancestors  suffered  from  any  spe- 
cial ailment  does  not  necessarily  demonstrate  that  it 
will  be  reproduced  in  us,  but  it  is  probable  that  the 
same  debilitating  conditions  will  be  inherited.  Their 
consequences  can,  however,  be  avoided  by  proper 
and  unremitting  care.  These  causes  are  constantly 
at  work,  producing  decay  of  the  teeth  and  forming 


FILLING   THE   TEETH.  25 

minute  cavities,  through  which  the  decay  rapidly 
progresses  until  the  living  matter  of  the  tooth  is 
reached.  Unless  this  is  checked,  the  tooth  will  be 
totally  wrecked ;  even  if  it  be  not  wholly  destroyed, 
it  will  be  so  badly  decayed  that  it  will  threaten  the 
welfare  of  the  entire  dentition,  and  therefore  it  may 
become  necessary  to  extract  it. 

Many,  fearing  that  the  filling  of  a  tooth  will  be 
painful,  refuse  to  have  this  done.  But  when  the 
proper  manipulation  is  employed,  the  operation  is 
accompanied  by  very  little  acute  pain,  and  if  the 
decay  is  of  recent  formation,  by  none  at  all.  Every 
consideration,  then,  whether  the  ultimate  welfare  of 
the  tooth  is  concerned  or  the  desire  be  to  avoid 
suffering  and  discomfort,  prompts  the  patient  to 
early  attention  to  his  teeth  before  decay  shall  have 
proceeded  so  far  as  to  cause  toothache. 

The  teeth  are  composed  of  four  principal  parts — 
Enamel,  Dentine,  Cementum,  and  Pulp. 

Enamel. — This  constitutes  the  cap,  outer  cover- 
ing, or  occluding  surface  of  the  tooth.  It  is  the 
hardest  tissue  in  the  animal  body.  Its  great  density 
admirably  adapts  it  to  the  purposes  of  mastication 
of  hard  substances.  The  enamel  is  easily  distin- 
guishable from  the  dentine  with  the  naked  eye, 
by  its  clear,  lustrous,  and  somewhat  translucent 
appearance. 


20  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

Dentine. — The  dentine  forms  the  principal  con- 
stituent of  the  tooth.  It  is  situated  under  the 
enamel,  and  is  permeated  by  a  great  number  of 
minute  canals,  which  connect  with  the  pulp  cham- 
ber. It  is  a  hard,  elastic  substance,  with  a  yellow- 
ish tinge,  and  is  slightly  translucent. 

Cementum. — This  forms  a  thin  covering  for  the 
surface  of  the  fang,  or  root  of  the  tooth,  and  ex- 
tends from  its  neck  to  the  apex. 

Pulp. — The  pulp  is  a  soft  tissue,  occupying  the 
pulp  chamber,  which  is  an  elongated  canal,  wide  at 
the  crown,  and  narrow  at  the  root.  It  runs  longi- 
tudinally through  the  center  of  the  dentine.  The 
pulp  contains  the  nerves  and  blood  vessels  of  the 
tooth.  It  is  the  vital  part,  and  sends  forth  minute 
fibers  of  living  matter  through  the  microscopic 
canals  of  the  dentine,  to  nourish  and  endow  the 
tooth  with  sensation. 

As  soon  as  the  enamel  is  decayed  through,  the 
sensitive  dentine  rapidly  disappears  under  the  action 
of  the  acids  produced  by  fermentation,  and  the  pulp 
soon  becomes  exposed. 

Frequently  the  decay  of  the  sixteenth  part  of  an 
inch  is  sufficient  to  lay  bare  the  pulp.  This  is  ex- 
tremely sensitive,  and  the  contact  of  any  foreign 
matter  causes  the  most  exquisite  suffering.  The 
least  change  of  temperature,  or  the  exertion  of  any 


FILLING   THE   TEETH.  27 

undue  pressure  upon  it,  will  so  irritate  its  nerve  fila- 
ments as  to  produce  severe  toothache,  and  affect 
the  entire  nervous  system  of  the  head. 

Before  the  pulp  has  become  exposed,  the  opera- 
tion of  filling  the  teeth  is  comparatively  painless. 
The  filling  lasts,  and  the  tooth  remains  strong,  be- 
cause the  vital  portions  of  the  pulp  have  not  been 
affected. 

It  is  easy  to  discover  when  the  dentine  alone  is 
exposed.  This  may  be  sensitive  to  the  touch,  to 
cold  and  to  heat,  but  the  pain  is  dull,  and  passes 
away  when  the  irritating  agent  is  removed.  When, 
however,  the  pulp  is  exposed,  the  pain  is  acute, 
constant,  severe,  and  agonizing.  Thus  the  degree 
and  character  of  the  pain  will  indicate  the  amount 
of  the  decay.  Should  the  tooth  be  neglected  when 
the  pulp  has  become  exposed,  inflammation  sets 
in,  and  the  work  of  filling  the  teeth  is  very  pain- 
ful, and  perhaps  impossible,  and  if  the  neglect  be 
persisted  in,  the  pulp  dies. 

Thus  at  the  outset  the  dentist  is  confronted  with 
three  classes  of  diseased  teeth — those  in  which  the 
dentine  alone  is  affected,  those  in  which  the  pulp 
has  been  but  recently  exposed,  and  those  in  which, 
because  of  prolonged  exposure,  the  pulp  is  either 
dead  or  dying.  Of  the  first  class  I  have  already 
spoken.     In  a  tooth  of  the  second  class,  the  pulp 


28  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH    AND   MOUTH. 

can  be  cured  by  the  application  of  soothing  medi- 
cines, which  may  remove  the  irritation  and  subdue 
the  inflammation,  and  enable  it  to  bear  a  filling. 
If,  after  being  thus  treated,  the  tooth  be  filled,  a 
covering  of  secondary  dentine  may  be  formed  by 
nature  underneath  the  filling,  for  the  better  protec- 
tion of  the  pulp ;  and  soon  the  tooth  may  become  as 
sound  as  ever. 

Concerning  the  third  class  of  decayed  teeth,  there 
are  three  kinds.  Those  in  which  the  pulp  has  re- 
cently died,  those  in  which  there  is  more  or  less  of 
infection  and  inflammation,  and  those  with  a  fistu- 
lous opening,  with  a  more  or  less  constant  discharge 
of  pus.  The  first  can  be  cured  with  comparative 
ease.  The  second  may  be  relieved  if  judicious 
means  are  employed,  while  the  third  may  require  a 
considerable  time,  and  the  exercise  of  much  patience 
and  skill  on  the  part  of  the  dentist.  The  pulp  cham- 
ber and  canals  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  dis- 
infected, and  this  work  is  sometimes  performed  with 
great  difficulty,  as  the  canals  are  often  crooked  and 
difficult  of  access. 

Should  the  dentist  fill  such  a  tooth,  leaving  within 
it  particles  of  infected  matter  in  the  pulp  canal,  they 
may  putrefy  and  generate  gases,  which,  having  no 
escape  except  through  the  opening  at  the  apex  of 
.the  tooth,  press  against  the  surrounding  tissues, 


FILLING   THE   TEETH.  29 

and  produce  abscesses  and  swellings,  with  their 
accompanying  pains.  After  the  whole  territory  has 
been  thoroughly  disinfected,  the  canals  must  be 
effectually  filled.     It  is  sometimes  advisable  to  in- 


OfU*    A 


** 


If    * 


1»  \ 


Different  forms  of  microbes,  very  much  enlarged. 

sert  a  temporary  filling  to  last  for  several  weeks, 
and  only  after  this  experimental  stopping  has  been 
sufficiently  tried,  and  no  unfavorable  symptoms 
have  supervened,  should  a  permanent  filling  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  temporary  one.  If,  however,  the 
tooth  becomes  sore,  it  is  an  indication  that  inflam- 
mation is  again  active,  and  that  unless  it  be  reduced 
an  abscess  may  follow.  The  filling  must  then  be 
removed,  and  the  tedious  work  of  disinfection 
resumed. 

It  is  apparent,  then,  that  to  postpone  the  work 
of  filling  a  decayed  tooth  only  increases  the  danger 


30  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

and  suffering,  while  the  result,  when  accomplished, 
is  much  less  satisfactory. 

There  are  some  dentists  who  promptly  apply  an 
arsenical  paste  to  sensitive  cavities,  whether  the 
pulp  be  exposed  or  not;  and  patients  have  been  led 
to  approve  this,  thinking  thereby  to  avoid  pain 
during  the  filling.  But  it  is  very  bad  practice,  and 
the  more  reputable  portion  of  American  dentists 
condemn  it  earnestly,  and  for  some  of  the  following 
reasons : 

First,  because  when  devitalized,  there  is  always 
the  liability  to  putrefaction  and  the  formation  of  an 
abscess. 

Second,  because  it  is  much  easier  to  fill  a  live 
tooth  than  a  dead  one. 

Third,  because  a  dead  tooth  is  liable  to  many  dis- 
eases, and  is  not  as  permanent  or  as  useful  as  a  live 
one. 

To  destroy  the  pulp  quickly,  arsenic  is  employed. 
Unless  this  be  carefully  and  skilfully  used,  there 
may  be  intense  pain.  The  cavity  must  be  carefully 
and  delicately  cleaned  of  all  foreign  material,  the 
irritability  of  the  pulp  must  be  allayed,  and  then 
the  proper  devitalizing  agent  must  be  so  inserted 
that  no  pressure  will  be  exerted.  When  this  is 
skilfully  done  no  pain  will  ensue.  But  it  is  much 
better  if  the  pulp  can  be  saved  alive,  and  the  honest 


FILLING   THE   TEETH.  31 

dentist  will  therefore  put  forth  every  exertion  to 
do  this. 

A  few  words  as  to  the  materials  to  be  used  in  fill- 
ing the  teeth.  Gold  and  tin  possess  all  the  requisite 
qualities  for  beautiful  and  lasting  fillings.  Silver  is 
only  used  in  the  form  of  an  amalgam,  with  mercury. 
Gutta  percha  and  cement  form  excellent  temporary 
fillings  for  teeth  so  decayed  that  they  cannot  stand 
the  strain  incident  to  the  filling  with  gold  or  tin 
foils.  The  choice  of  materials  should,  however,  be 
left  to  the  dentist,  as  he  best  knows  the  peculiar 
conditions,  and  what  they  demand. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

EXTRACTION    OF   DISEASED   TEETH. 

Extraction  is  an  ultimate  remedy,  and  should 
be  resorted  to  in  extreme  cases  only.  If  people 
would  give  to  their  teeth  the  attention  that  is  their 
due,  there  would  be  no  occasion  for  the  forceps, 
except  in  very  rare  and  exceptional  instances.  It 
is  because  of  ignorance,  or  inexcusable  carelessness, 
or  the  unconquerable  dread  of  dental  operations, 
that  the  necessity  for  the  removal  of  teeth  arises. 
Timely  care  might  preserve  even  those  which  are 
naturally  weak  and  bad. 

But,  through  neglect,  cases  arise  which  impera- 
tively demand  extraction.  Let  us  consider  some  of 
the  consequences  of  a  refusal  to  have  this  done. 

The  most  common  of  these  are  abscesses. 

Abscesses,  or  gumboils,  are  collections  of  pus  or 
putrid  matter,  due  to  infection  and  inflammation  of 
the  tissues  surrounding  the  roots  of  diseased  teeth. 
These  may  produce  many  dangerous  results,  among 
which  are  those  that  follow : 

Locked  Jaw. — Sometimes  a  severe  abscess  is 


EXTRACTION   OF   DISEASED  TEETH.  33 

caused  by  diseased  molars  or  wisdom  teeth  of  the 
lower  jaw.  The  nerves  become  so  irritated  that 
they  are  finally  paralyzed,  and  the  muscles  remain 
in  a  contracted  condition.  They  cannot  perform 
their  office,  and  the  sufferer  is  unable  to  open  or 
close  his  mouth.  When  this  happens,  the  patient 
is  said  to  suffer  from  locked  jaw.  It  should  be 
understood  that  by  this  term  is  not  meant  tetanus, 
or  spasmodic  contractions. 

Neuralgia. — Intense  neuralgia  of  the  eye,  the 
ear,  or  the  entire  side  of  the  face,  is  frequently  pro- 
duced by  the  pressure  of  an  abscess  and  the  irrita- 
tion due  to  a  diseased  tooth.  All  the  nerves  which 
supply  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  face,  and  the  teeth  are 
intimately  connected  through  their  terminal  fila- 
ments, and  any  special  irritation  of  one  may  be 
communicated  to  and  affect  any  of  the  others. 

The  oculist  and  aurist  recognize  that  the  eye  and 
ear  may  be  affected  by  diseased  teeth,  and  so,  very 
often,  before  proceeding  with  their  work,  insist  that 
the  patient  have  his  teeth  put  in  good  condition. 

Necrosis. — Death  of  the  bone  frequently  results 
from  an  abscess.  When  pus  is  allowed  to  accumu- 
late in  large  quantities,  it  may  burrow  between  the 
bone  and  the  periosteum,  or  membrane  which  en- 
velops the  bone,  and  which  gives  to  it  nutrition 
and  vitality.     This  membrane  being  severed  from 

3 


34 


CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 


the  bone,  the  latter  dies  from  lack  of  nutrition,  and 

from  the  violent  inflammation  caused  by  the  abscess. 

Eye,  Ear  and  Nose. — These  organs  are  very 


Left  Upper  Jaw,  showing  cavity  into  which  the  roots  of  the  first  or  second 
molar  frequently  penetrate,  and  are  a  source  of  trouble  when  diseased. 

often  affected  by  diseased  teeth.  Over  the  molars, 
in  each  side  of  the  upper  jaw  bone,  there  exists  a 
cavity,  the  roof  of  which  is  formed  by  the  floor  of 
the  orbit,  its  inner  boundary  being  the  wall  of  the 
nose,  and  through  which  there  is  an  opening  into 


EXTRACTION    OF   DISEASED   TEETH.  35 

the  nostril.  The  floor  of  this  cavity  is  formed  by 
that  portion  of  the  jaw  bone  which  holds  the  roots 
of  the  molars,  and  into  which  one  of  them  occasion- 
ally penetrates.  The  walls  of  the  cavity  are  thin, 
and  are  lined  by  a  very  sensitive  membrane.  Any 
serious  disease  of  these  penetrating  molars,  such  as 
inflammation  and  suppuration,  may  extend  into  this 
cavity.  Pus  may  accumulate  in  such  large  quanti- 
ties that  it  will  ooze  out  through  the  opening  that 
communicates  with  the  nose. 

Thus  may  be  seen  why,  when  one  suffers  from  a 
constant  discharge  from  the  nose,  it  may  be  due  to 
a  neglected  tooth.  Again,  if  the  accumulation  of 
pus  is  very  large,  it  may  press  against  the  floor  of 
the  eye-ball,  and  either  displace  the  eye  or  cause 
partial  or  complete  blindness,  or  it  may  break 
through  the  bone  and  discharge  upon  the  face, 
leaving  an  ugly  scar.  At  the  very  least,  the  con- 
tinued discharge,  even  though  it  may  not  find  its 
way  to  the  surface,  makes  the  patient  a  constant 
source  of  offense,  both  to  himself  and  those  who 
surround  him. 

Cases  are  reported  in  which  tumors  caused  by 
diseased  teeth  have  developed  to  such  enormous 
size  that  they  plugged  up  the  nose,  dislodged  the 
eye,  and  even  broke  down  the  wall  of  the  cavity 
and  penetrated  into  the  brain. 


36  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

Again,  whenever  a  decayed  tooth  is  in  close  prox- 
imity to  a  sound  one,  the  latter  will  ultimately  be 
affected,  for  wherever  there  is  decay,  there  we  find 
acids  and  microbes,  which  in  their  action  are  very 
destructive  to  the  teeth. 

Every  day  that  these  teeth  are  permitted  to>  re- 
main in  the  mouth  but  aggravates  the  condition, 
and  renders  their  inevitable  fate,  extraction,  more 
and  more  difficult.  This  is  particularly  the  case 
with  regard  to  the  molars,  which,  as  a  rule,  have 
several  roots,  all  connected  by  the  crown.  When 
decay  has  destroyed  the  crown,  the  roots  become 
separated,  and  must  be  extracted  singly.  Some- 
times the  patient  attributes  this  difficulty  to  lack  of 
skill  on  the  part  of  the  dentist,  and  perhaps  even 
institutes  legal  proceedings  for  malpractice  against 
men  of  acknowledged  skill.  These  suits,  though 
almost  invariably  unsuccessful,  have  in  many  cases 
blighted  the  reputation  of  the  practitioner,  for  sus- 
picion easily  attaches  to  professional  men,  and  clings 
to  them  with  fatal  tenacity. 

We  may  thus  see  the  importance  of  an  early  ex- 
traction of  such  badly  decayed  teeth.  But  many 
people  shrink  from  the  operation,  either  by  reason 
of  their  ignorance,  or  because  of  the  misrepresenta- 
tions of  their  friends,  or  through  a  fear  of  the  pain. 
Let  me  illustrate  a  case  of  very  frequent  occurrence. 


EXTRACTION    OF  DISEASED  TEETH.  37 

"  A  "  is  suffering  from  an  abscess  developed  from 
irritation  produced  by  a  dead  tooth.  He  is  about 
to  visit  the  dentist  to  have  the  tooth  extracted, 
when  some  officious,  though  well-meaning,  friend 
informs  him  that  it  is  dangerous  to  extract  the  tooth 
before  the  abscess  has  broken,  and  "  A  "  will  suffer 
many  days  and  nights  of  intense  agony,  waiting  for 
the  abscess  to  heal,  and  after  this  has  taken  place 
and  he  no  longer  suffers  torture,  he  undergoes  the 
additional  pain  of  having  the  tooth  extracted.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  no  danger  in  extracting  a 
tooth  about  which  an  abscess  is  developing.  There 
was  a  time  when  it  was  thought  hazardous  to  do  so, 
it  is  true,  but  this  theory  has  long  since  been  ex- 
ploded. Moreover,  the  pain  of  extracting  such  a 
tooth  is  entirely  lost  in  the  far  greater  pain  suffered 
from  the  abscess,  for  when  one  suffers  from  pains  of 
varying  intensity,  the  sensation  of  the  lesser  pain  is, 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  lost  in  that  of  the  greater. 

There  are  many  who  fear  to  have  a  tooth  removed 
because  of  the  accompanying  suffering.  In  reality, 
there  is  little  pain  in  the  extraction  of  a  tooth.  The 
sleeplessness,  anxiety,  and  lack  of  proper  food  which 
precede  the  extraction,  weaken  the  body,  and  hence 
the  nerves  are  very  susceptible  to  irritation.  The 
pain  of  extraction  principally  results  from  these 
causes,  and  not  from  the  extraction  itself.     Fortu- 


38  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

nately  for  the  sufferer,  however,  by  the  use  of  nitrous 
oxide  gas,  the  extraction  of  teeth  may  be  made 
absolutely  painless. 

This  gas  is  obtained  by  heating  a  substance  tech- 
nically called  ammonium-nitrate  in  a  retort.  This 
salt  is  composed  of  hydrogen,  nitrogen  and  oxygen. 
The  last  two  gases  are  the  chief  constituents  of  the 
air  we  breathe,  and  in  differing  proportions  compose 
nitrous  oxide  gas. 

Though  odorless  and  colorless,  the  gas  is  sweet  to 
the  taste;  through  its  action  upon  the  nerves  there 
is  an  entire  loss  of  consciousness,  and  with  that  of 
course  all  sensation  and  volition.  This  lasts  but  a 
few  moments.  There  is  naturally  considerable 
shrinking  from  it  on  the  part  of  those  who  are 


Teeth  Grown  Together. 


unacquainted  with  its  character.  But  statistics, 
carefully  collected,  show  that  it  is  by  far  the  safest  of 
the  anaesthetics,  and  when  properly  administered, 


EXTRACTION    OF   DISEASED   TEETH.  39 

that  there  is  less  risk  from  it  than  from  the  opera- 
tion itself.  It  is  given  daily  by  many  who  possess 
no  special  medical  knowledge,  and  who  take  no 
precautions  as  to  examination  before  administering 
it.  Yet  rarely  has  any  harm  resulted,  even  though 
patients  were  suffering  from  diseases  which  are  of 
themselves  dangerous. 

Let  the  patient  take  the  gas  on  an  empty  stom- 
ach, and  be  perfectly  calm;  then  its  inhalation  will 
be  safe,  and  it  will  relieve  the  dreaded  extraction  of 
all  its  horrors. 

In  conclusion,  let  me  add  that  if  people  have  badly 
decayed  teeth  or  roots  that  do  not  ache,  they  should 
at  once  be  put  in  a  sanitary  condition.  If  this  can- 
not be  done,  they  should  be  extracted,  for  if  allowed 
to  remain  they  may  bring  in  their  train  any  one  of 
a  long  list  of  diseases. 

With  the  badly  decayed  teeth  removed,  and  the 
remaining  ones  cleaned,  filled,  capped  or  crowned, 
as  the  case  may  demand,  the  mouth  will  be  in  a 
thoroughly  healthy  condition,  and  if  any  reasonable 
degree  of  care  be  bestowed  upon  it,  will  probably 
remain  so  for  many  years. 


CHAPTER   V. 


ARTIFICIAL  TEETH. 


Teeth  are  subservient  to  three  great  functions — 
beauty,  speech,  and  digestion. 

Beauty. — From  the  remotest  ages,  the  poet  and 
the  novelist  have  found  in  the  teeth  a  fruitful  theme 
for  song.  How  they  revel  in  painting  their  charms ! 
No  face,  however  rich  in  beauty,  color,  or  regular- 
ity of  its  features,  is  a  finished  conception  with  an 
incomplete  denture.  Nay,  if  the  denture  be  imper- 
fect in  the  front  of  the  mouth,  the  charms  of  the 
face  but  heighten  the  inharmony  into  repellent 
incongruity. 

We  are  all  ambitious  to  please,  by  conforming  to 
the  laws  of  the  beautiful.  In  society,  one  who 
understands  the  laws  of  harmony  delights  the  eye 
by  her  tasty  attire.  Another,  though  more  richly 
dressed,  having  failed  to  harmonize  her  costume, 
attracts  attention  only  by  the  impression  of  ab- 
surdity. 

In  the  purchase  of  any  article  of  clothing,  we  all 


ARTIFICIAL   TEETH.  41 

recognize  that  something  besides  the  mere  fit  or 
adaptation  must  be  observed.  However  excellent 
the  material  or  the  workmanship,  a  certain  law  of 
harmony  must  be  observed,  or  the  wearer  will 
appear  ludicrous. 

I  make  but  a  mild  statement,  then,  when  I  say 
that  it  is  extremely  unpleasant  to  behold  a  pair  of 
ripe,  cherry  lips  open  but  to  disclose  an  incomplete 
denture.  The  contrast  with  what  was  expected 
becomes  very  jarring. 

Speech.  —  Teeth  are  necessary,  not  only  to 
beauty,  but  to  speech.  When  any  of  them  are 
missing,  the  power  of  speech  is  more  or  less  im- 
paired, because  they  are  necessary  to  the  proper 
formation  of  articulate  sounds,  and  unless  all  of  the 
teeth  are  present  in  the  mouth,  the  result  is  an 
incomplete  and  discordant  utterance.  There  is  a 
certain  relation  between  the  physical  form  and  the 
voice,  from  which  we  infer  in  advance  the  character 
of  the  tones  which  may  be  expected  from  any  indi- 
vidual, and  if  instead  of  the  expected  basso  a  falsetto 
greets  us,  the  result  is  very  unpleasant.  Speakers 
and  singers  recognize  this  fact  so  well,  that  the 
instant  the  denture  becomes  incomplete  they  have 
it  repaired. 

Digestion. — The  most  important  function  of 
the  teeth  is  to  assist  in  digestion,  by  masticating 


42  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND   MOUTH. 

and  insalivating  the  food.  Mastication  is  the 
process  of  reducing  the  food  to  a  pasty  condition, 
by  grinding  it  into  small  particles  and  mixing  it 
with  saliva. 

If  before  passing  the  food  into  the  stomach  this 
work  of  mastication  is  thoroughly  performed,  the 


An  Artificial  Lower  Denture. 


food  is  rendered  easily  susceptible  to  the  action  of 
the  fluid  secreted  by  the  stomach — the  gastric  juice. 
This  reduces  the  food  to  a  liquid  state,  and  so  pre- 
pares it  for  absorption  into  the  system.  When, 
however,  the  food  is  swallowed  without  being  thor- 
oughly masticated — that  is,  in  mass,  or  in  a  dry 
condition — the  action  of  the  gastric  juice  is  very 
slow,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  ineffective.  It 
moreover  fails  to  yield  all  the  nourishing  essence  of 
which  it  is  possessed,  and  causes  in  addition  those 
intense  agonies  of  indigestion,  which  a  celebrated 


ARTIFICIAL   TEETH.  43 

writer  once  so  forcibly  described  as  "  a  hundred  rats 
gnawing  in  the  stomach." 

Good  health  requires  good  digestion,  and  good 
digestion  requires  good  mastication;  but  so  long  as 
any  of  the  teeth  are  missing  this  is  impossible,  for 
nature,  economical  in  all  things,  teaches  that  unless 
all  the  teeth  were  necessary,  some  of  them  would 
not  be  found  in  the  mouth. 

As  the  functions  of  the  teeth  are  of  such  para- 
mount importance,  it  is  necessary  that  they  be  kept 
in  constant  repair,  and  if  any  of  them  are  missing 
they  should  be  immediately  replaced.  The  modern 
dentist  has  reduced  this  art  to  a  science,  and  artis- 
tically constructs  artificial  dentures,  crowns  and 
bridges. 

Artificial  Teeth   or  Dentures. — There  are 
two  parts  in  a  set  of  arti- 
ficial teeth — the  plate  and 
the  teeth. 

The  Plate. — This  is  a 
thin  sheet  of  rubber  or  met- 
al, corresponding  in  shape 

+~    4-U~   U~~A    ~„1«.*.~    ~~  r         An  Artificial  Upper  Denture. 

to  the  hard  palate  or  roof 

of  the  mouth.  The  rubber  base  is  in  most  common 
use,  as  it  is  cheap  and  serviceable.  Rubber  is  the 
coagulated  milky  juice  of  certain  trees  that  grow  in 
South  America  and  other  warm  countries.     After 


44  CARE  OF  THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

undergoing  many  chemical  changes,  this  is  manu- 
factured into  rubber  of  various  grades.  Only  the 
best  is  used  by  the  reputable  dentist,  after  it  has 
been  subjected  to  many  delicate  manipulations  and 
processes. 

Among  some  of  the  metals  used  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  dental  bases  are  gold,  silver,  platinum  and 
aluminum.  These  are  the  precious  metals,  and  only 
such  are  fit  for  use  in  dentistry. 

Teeth. — The  teeth  are  attached  to  the  plate  so 
as  to  correspond  exactly  to  the  natural  denture,  in 
size,  shape,  and  order  of  arrangement.  They  are 
manufactured  from  porcelain,  which  is  a  compound 
of  silex,  feldspar  and  kaolin. 

Silex  is  a  white  mineral,  found  in  sands,  rocks, 
crystals  and  flint. 

Feldspar  is  generally  found  as  an  ingredient  of 
granite  and  other  volcanic  rocks. 

Kaolin  is  a  fine  clay,  found  in  many  parts  of  the 
world. 

From  these  minerals,  together  with  the  use 
of  coloring  matter,  artificial  teeth  are  manu- 
factured. 

From  various  fancies  or  prejudices,  none  of  which 
have  any  foundation  in  fact,  many  people  object  to 
the  use  of  any  artificial  appliance  in  the  mouth. 
Some,  because  they  are  ashamed  to  wear  artificial 


ARTIFICIAL   TEETH.  45 

teeth,  or  because  they  are  under  the  impression  that 
they  taint  the  breath,  and  destroy  the  sense  of  taste. 
Others,  because  they  believe  that  artificial  teeth  are 
taken  from  the  dead,  or  that  an  artificial  denture 
cannot  be  held  securely  in  the  mouth. 

No  false  sentiment  should  be  allowed  to  interfere 
with  the  laws  of  health  or  proper  hygiene.  Beauty., 
speech  and  mastication  are  primary  considerations, 
and  no  mere  affectation  has  the  right  to  negative 
their  demands. 

Artificial  teeth  neither  destroy  the  sense  of  taste 
nor  contaminate  the  breath.  The  sense  of  taste  is 
located  in  the  tongue,  and  there  is  not  a  single 
ingredient  entering  into  the  composition  of  the 
rubber  or  teeth  which  can  infect  the  breath.  Nor 
are  artificial  teeth  ever  taken  from  the  dead.  Their 
very  name  shows  that  they  are  the  product  of  man's 
handiwork;  they  are  manufactured  from  the  pure 
materials  that  I  have  already  enumerated. 

To  those  who  fear  that  a  denture  cannot  be  held 
firmly  in  the  mouth,  let  me  say  that  their  apprehen- 
sions are  groundless.  To  secure  the  plate  in  the 
mouth  it  is  necessary  to  utilize  two  forces  of  nature 
— adhesion  and  atmospheric  pressure. 

Adhesion. — Adhesion  is  that  force  by  virtue  of 
which  the  molecules  of  different  bodies  cling  to- 
gether.    A  remarkable  instance  of  this  is   found 


46  CARE   OF   THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

when  we  press  together  two  smooth  or  occluding 
surfaces.  Adhesion  is  so  strong  that  they  will  cling 
together  with  great  tenacity.  If  we  press  together 
two  perfectly  level  surfaces  of  glass,  it  will  be  found 
very  difficult  to  separate  them. 

Atmospheric  Pressure. — The  air  presses  in 
every  direction  with  a  force  of  about  15  pounds  to 
the  square  inch.  A  little  computation  demonstrates 
that  the  human  body,  for  instance,  is  subjected  to  a 
constant  pressure  of  from  20,000  to  30,000  pounds. 
This  would  be  sufficient  to  crush  us  to  the  earth, 
were  it  not  that  the  air  presses  equally  in  all  direc- 
tions. Hence  the  downward  pressure  is  counter- 
balanced by  an  equal  upward  pressure.  This  may 
be  proven  by  an  actual  experiment. 

Take  a  glass  jar,  the  mouth  of  which  is  accurately 
fitted  to  a  smooth  metal  surface,  and  by  means  of 
an  air  pump  exhaust  the  air  within  it.  Now  try  to 
lift  the  jar,  and  it  will  be  found  that  it  adheres  with 
great  tenacity.  There  is  no  air  within  to  counteract 
the  downward  pressure  of  that  without.  But  if  the 
air  be  allowed  to  re-enter  the  jar,  it  can  be  raised  as 
easily  as  ever. 

Children  playing  with  the  familiar  leather  soakers, 
unconsciously  take  advantage  of  adhesion  and  at- 
mospheric pressure.  When  the  soaker  is  pressed 
down  upon  the  stone,  the  air  is  forced  out,  and 


ARTIFICIAL   TEETH.  47 

they  are  enabled  to  lift  the  stone,  whirl  it  in  the  air, 
or  carry  it  about. 

Artificial  plates  are  constructed  upon  a  model 
taken  from  an  impression  of  the  mouth,  and  they 
are  thus  made  accurately  to  fit  the  hard  palate 
and  gums.  There  are  two  perfectly  occluding  sur- 
faces, the  palate  and  the  plate.  When  these  are 
brought  into  contact  the  air  is  driven  from  be- 
tween them,  and  adhesion  and  atmospheric  pres- 
sure are  called  into  play.  Hence  the  plate  is  held 
in  the  mouth  by  the  action  of  natural  forces,  and 
the  patient  need  not  worry  himself  by  conjuring 
up  imaginary  difficulties. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


ADVICE   TO    MOTHERS. 


Were  one  to  say  to  the  mother,  as  she  lovingly 
fondles  her  young,  "  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  diseases 
from  which  your  child  will  suffer  in  after  life  are 
directly  traceable  to  your  treatment  of  it,"  would 
she  not  deny  the  assertion  with  unbounded  indigna- 
tion? And  yet,  the  charge  is  true,  for  it  must  be 
apparent,  even  to  a  superficial  observer,  that  women, 
as  a  rule,  possess  such  an  imperfect  knowledge  of 
the  laws  of  hygiene  as  to  be  but  poorly  equipped 
for  a  thorough  training  of  their  young. 

There  was  a  time  when  diseases  were  regarded 
as  the  manifestations  of  the  wrath  of  an  offended 
Deity,  who  could  only  be  appeased  by  offering  up 
sacrifices  on  the  altars  of  the  Gods,  and  as  men 
thought  it  hopeless  to  struggle  against  the  Deity, 
they  paid  little,  if  any,  attention  to  the  laws  of 
hygiene.  Those  times,  however,  have  passed.  Our 
higher  culture  has  swept  away  these  idle  supersti- 
tions, and  has  revealed  to  us  the  universal  reign  of 


ADVICE  TO   MOTHERS.  49 

inexorable  laws.  This  should  teach  us  that  health 
is  the  reward  of  obedience  to  these  laws;  disease, 
the  penalty  of  their  infraction.  They  are  easily 
ascertainable,  and  readily  followed.  Indeed,  such 
progress  has  been  made  in  their  systemization  and 
comprehension,  that  we  can  almost  choose  between 
health  and  disease;  but  to  secure  the  full  measure 
of  advantage  which  must  result  from  an  adherence 
to  these  laws,  their  study  should  not  be  postponed 
to  mature  life.  It  must  begin  in  early  infancy,  and 
be  made  to  form  part  of  the  home  and  school  train- 
ing, for  knowledge  and  impressions  received  in 
childhood  are  the  most  lasting,  and  are  readily  de- 
veloped into  fixed  habits. 

The  training  of  the  child  during  this  early  period 
of  its  life  is  peculiarly  the  work  of  the  mother,  and 
not  all  the  study  and  thought  of  after  life  can  thor- 
oughly eradicate  the  ideas  and  habits  which  she  can 
impress  upon  its  young  mind.  To  perform  the  work 
of  education  efficiently,  the  mother  must  be  as  fa- 
miliar with  the  laws  of  the  child's  physical  existence 
as  she  is  with  the  laws  of  its  moral  well  being. 

Yet,  while  we  realize  that  without  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  principles  of  good  health  im- 
munity from  disease  is  impossible,  we  have  made 
no  united  effort  to  instruct  our  women  so  that  they 
can  perform  this  duty.    Nay,  if  some  woman,  more 

4 


50  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

intelligent  and  enterprising  than  the  rest  of  her  sex, 
makes  a  thorough  study  of  hygiene  and  of  kindred 
topics,  she  too  often  becomes  a  subject  for  ridicule 
among  her  acquaintances.  They  seem  to  think, 
as  did  women  of  yore,  that  the  circle  of  woman's 
attainments  is  bounded  by  the  horizon  of  man's 
pleasures,  and  that  if  she  has  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  dancing,  singing,  music,  courtly  manners,  and  a 
little  understanding  of  household  management,  she 
is  equipped  for  the  duties  of  life,  of  marriage,  and 
of  maternity.  To  dispel  this  delusion,  and  awaken 
in  women  a  sincere  desire  to  familiarize  themselves 
with  the  laws  of  health,  which  is  the  object  of  my 
present  chapter,  is,  therefore,  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance. The  evils  which  result  from  disobedience  of 
these  laws  are  not  confined  to  women  alone,  but  are 
transmitted  to  their  offspring,  and  in  this  way  are 
perpetuated.  Truly,  "  the  evil  which  men  do,  lives 
after  them."  How  forcibly  did  Henry  Ward 
Beecher  realize  this,  when,  in  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, "  When  should  a  child's  education  begin?  "  he 
said,  "  With  its  grandfather."  It  is  my  province, 
however,  only  to  consider  those  hygienic  laws 
which  are  intimately  connected  with  the  welfare  of 
the  teeth.  A  discussion  of  the  remaining  principles 
is  not  the  office  of  the  dentist,  but  of  the  general 
physician. 


ADVICE   TO    MOTHERS. 


51 


For  the  sake  of  clearness  and  logical  arrangement, 
I  shall  divide  this  chapter  into  two  topics : 

First,  "  What  to  Eat." 
Second,  "  How  to  Eat." 

What  to  Eat. 

Lack  of  cleanliness  and  of  proper  dieting  are 
undoubtedly  the  main  causes  which  contribute  to 
the  destruction  of  the  teeth.  As  the  subject  of 
cleanliness  has  already  been 
discussed  at  length,  I  shall 
now  proceed  to  consider  the 
subject  of  proper  diet,  by 
which  I  mean  not  only  what 
to  eat,  but  also  how  to 
eat. 

What  to  Eat. — This  is 
a  question  that  must  be 
solved  differently  for  differ- 
ent individuals.  The  food 
which  is  proper  for  one 
man  may  not  agree  with 
another.  The  student,  or 
the  brain  worker,  could  not 


lone    subsist 


that 


1&    uu^ml    on    mat    re- 

,  ,         1       .    .  1       Diagram  showing-  relative  positions  of 

quired  by  the  laborer,  Or  the    temporary  and  permanent  teeth,  in 

both  upper  and  lower  jaws  (inner  row, 
OUt-doOr  toiler.       Time,  aee    temporary  teeth  ;  outer  row,  perma- 

'      &       nent  teeth). 


52  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

and  occupation  must  all  be  considered  before  it  may 
be  said  to  any  man,  "  Eat  this  or  that  kind  of  food." 
Yet,  in  spite  of  this  difficulty,  there  are  certain  foods 
of  which  it  may  be  said  that  they  are  safe  to  all. 

The  human  body  is  composed  of  seventeen  ele- 
ments, the  chief  of  which  are  hydrogen,  nitrogen, 
carbon,  and  the  salts  of  lime.  The  various  organs 
of  the  body  are  formed  by  varying  combinations  of 
a  certain  number  of  these  elements,  and  these  organs 
sustain  and  nourish  themselves  by  extracting  from 
the  blood  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  elements  which 
enter  into  their  formation,  so  that  if  the  food  is 
deficient  in  any  one  element,  some  one  organ  of 
the  body  is  destined  to  suffer.  As  no  foods,  except 
milk  and  eggs,  contain  all  the  elements  which  enter 
into  the  structure  of  the  body,  it  is  apparent  that  to 
properly  nourish  all  our  organs,  recourse  must  be 
had  to  a  diversified  diet.  In  this  way  the  abundance 
of  a  certain  element  in  one  food  may  supply  its  de- 
ficiency in  another. 

Teeth  strongly  resemble  bone  in  their  composi- 
tion. They  are  composed  of  animal  and  mineral 
elements.  The  mineral  matter  is  the  more  abun- 
dant of  the  two,  and  consists  principally  of  lime 
salts,  such  as  phosphate  of  lime,  carbonate  of  lime, 
fluoride  of  calcium,  and  phosphate  of  magnesia. 
These  elements  give  to  the  teeth  their  strength  and 


ADVICE  TO   MOTHERS.  5J, 

hardness.  If  they  are  absent  to  any  marked  extent, 
the  teeth  are  weak,  frail  and  soft. 

By  careful  experiment,  it  has  been  found  that  the 
following  foods  contain  these  elements  in  greatest 
abundance : 

Milk. — This  is  the  representative  food,  as  it  con- 
tains every  element  which  enters  into  the  structure 
of  the  body;  but  as  it  is  a  ready  absorbent  of 
microbes,  it  should  be  boiled  before  it  is  given  to 
children.     The  boiling  kills  the  microbes. 

Buttermilk. — This  is  valuable  as  a  food,  except 
when  it  is  churned  from  very  sour  milk,  or  has 
become  cheesy  by  age. 

Cheese. — This  should  be  eaten  sparingly,  as  it  is 
indigestible;  a  little,  however,  may  aid  digestion. 

The  Cereals. — Wheat,  maize,  rye,  oats  and 
rice  are  very  valuable  foods,  because  they  con- 
tain so  many  of  the  constituents  needed  for  life  and 
health. 

Fine  flour,  however,  should  be  sparingly  used, 
because  in  its  preparation  the  lime  salts  and  phos- 
phates are  extracted.  Thus,  it  has  been  estimated 
that  five  hundred  pounds  of  Graham  flour  contain 
seventy-five  pounds  of  muscle,  and  eighty-five 
pounds  of  bone  material,  while  an  equal  quantity 
of  white  flour  contains  only  sixty-five  pounds  of 
muscle,  and  but  fifty  pounds  of  bone  material. 


54  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

Eggs. — These  are  highly  nourishing.  They 
should  be  used  "  soft-boiled,"  and  not  hard-boiled, 
as  the  latter  are  less  digestible.  Eggs  should  al- 
ways be  eaten  with  a  little  bread  and  salt,  as  this 
renders  them  more  wholesome. 

Meat. — Of  all  meats,  beef  and  mutton  are  the 
best  regular  foods.  If  rightly  prepared,  meat  is 
very  nourishing  and  digestible.  Among  other 
nourishing  meats  might  be  mentioned  pork,  veal 
and  poultry.  Meat,  however,  should  not  be  eaten 
excessively,  and  should  never  be  used  unless  care- 
fully prepared. 

Fish. — When  fresh  and  well  cooked,  fish  are  very 
nourishing. 

Beans. — The  nutritive  value  of  beans  is  higher 
than  that  of  any  other  vegetable.  Among  the  most 
valuable  varieties  may  be  mentioned  the  kidney, 
the  haricot  and  the  lima. 

Peas. — Peas  have  qualities  similar  to  beans,  but 
not  in  the  same  degree. 

Potatoes. — If  properly  cooked,  these  make  a 
valuable  food.  When  cold  they  are  indigestible. 
They  are  best  when  boiled  with  the  skin  on,  or 
when  roasted.  Potatoes  contain  valuable  potash 
salts,  which  are  lost  in  boiling  without  the  skins, 
but  are  retained  in  baking  and  stewing. 

Vegetables. — Cabbage,  parsnips,  carrots,  onions, 


ADVICE   TO    MOTHERS.  55 

tomatoes  and  beets  are  good  foods  when  eaten 
moderately,  but  if  taken  in  large  quantities  are 
indigestible. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  valuable  foods 
which  a  bountiful  nature  has  placed  at  man's  dis- 
posal. Only  those  are  enumerated  in  the  above  list 
which  are  important  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
teeth.  They  are  equally  valuable,  however,  in 
building  up  the  rest  of  the  body.  For  a  more  ex- 
tended discussion  of  food,  I  refer  the  reader  to  some 
work  on  hygiene.  In  our  libraries  may  be  found 
many  books  treating  of  this  topic  most  exhaustively 
and  explicitly.  Their  perusal  will  repay  the  reader 
with  compound  interest. 

The  consequences  which  result  from  a  neglect  to 
use  proper  food  cannot  be  overstated.  It  is  be- 
cause of  this  neglect  that  so  many  of  our  boys  and 
girls,  while  yet  in  the  full  bloom  of  youth,  are 
compelled  to  wear  artificial  dentures.  One  emi- 
nent writer  has  even  said,  "  We  are  becoming  a 
toothless  people/ '  Of  course  he  did  not  imply 
that  our  ancestors  did  not  suffer  from  decayed 
teeth.  They  certainly  did,  but  through  an  exami- 
nation of  their  remains,  we  must  conclude  that  they 
did  not  suffer  from  dental  troubles  to  the  extent 
that  we  do. 

Our  inventions  and  discoveries  have  revolution- 


56  CARE  OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

ized  science  and  art.  They  have  even  changed  the 
character  of  our  food.  The  tables  of  the  rich  are 
to-day  loaded  with  delicate,  dainty  viands,  from 
which  have  been  extracted  the  phosphates  and  lime 
salts,  the  elements  that  build  up  the  bones  and  the 
teeth.  It  is  because  he  eats  such  food  that  the 
child  of  riches  often  has  weak,  ill-formed  teeth,  and 
because  the  child  of  poverty  subsists  on  coarse 
flour,  he  enjoys  a  wealth  of  teeth  that  money  can- 
not buy. 

Having  now  learned  "  What  to  eat,"  we  have  yet 
to  learn  what  few,  indeed,  understand,  "  How  to 
eat,"  for  the  evils  resulting  from  a  neglect  of  the 
latter  will  more  than  balance  the  good  derived  from 
an  observance  of  the  former. 

How  to  Eat. — However  nourishing  may  be  the 
food  one  eats,  it  can  yield  little  benefit  unless  it  is 
properly  eaten. 

1.  It  is  to  be  thoroughly  masticated. 

2.  It  should  not  be  taken  in  excess,  nor  the 
maxim  forgotten,  "  We  eat  to  live,  and  do  not  live 
to  eat." 

3.  It  is  not  to  be  taken  too  hot  or  too  cold. 

4.  The  stomach  must  be  allowed  freedom  of 
movement. 

It  is  self-evident  that  if  the  stomach  is  overloaded 


ADVICE  TO   MOTHERS.  57 

by  excessive  eating,  or  if  the  food  is  bolted  and  not 
thoroughly  masticated,  the  work  of  digestion  will 
be  poorly  performed,  the  stomach  become  disor- 
dered, and  the  saliva  acidified.  The  acid  saliva,  as 
already  shown,  destroys  the  teeth. 

It  is  equally  evident  that  since  the  food  digests 
most  readily  at  a  temperature  of  about  980  F.,  if 
that  which  is  very  cold  or  warm  is  taken  into  the 
stomach,  its  temperature  is  materially  lowered  or 
raised,  and  to  that  extent  the  work  of  digestion  is 
checked. 

Nor  need  I  add  that  if  the  free  movement  of  the 
stomach  is  restrained  by  stays  or  tight  corsets,  it 
cannot  perform  its  functions  properly.  No  doubt  a 
slender  waist  gives  to  a  woman  an  elegant  form,  but 
a  gracefulness  purchased  at  the  price  of  health  is  a 
charm  far  too  costly. 

The  importance  of  avoiding  the  use  of  liquor 
and  tobacco,  in  any  form,  should  also  be  constantly 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  children.  That  liquor 
and  tobacco  are  very  injurious  in  their  action  upon 
the  heart,  lungs,  nerves,  stomach,  teeth,  and  the 
other  organs  of  the  body,  is  the  opinion  of  all  phy- 
sicians ;  yet  mothers  as  a  rule  make  no  strong  effort 
to  arouse  their  children  to  the  danger  of  their  use. 
Tobacco,  moreover,  befouls  the  breath,  stains  and 
discolors  the  teeth,  and  thus  makes  them  unsightly 
and  repulsive. 


Effects  of  Diseased  Teeth. 


Excision  of  the  upper  jaw. — Weber's  incision.    (After  Weber. 


ADVICE   TO    MOTHERS.  59 

As  I  can  only  treat  of  the  laws  of  health  in  so  far 
as  they  directly  affect  the  teeth,  I  must  stop  here, 
for  a  more  extended  discussion  would  take  me  from 
the  field  of  the  dentist  into  the  domain  of  the  physi- 
cian. Let  me  close,  therefore,  by  recapitulating  the 
various  points  suggested  in  this  chapter. 

i.  Let  the  mouth  be  always  clean. 

2.  Masticate  the  food  thoroughly. 

3.  Eat  moderately;  avoid  excess. 

4.  We  eat  to  live;  we  do  not  live  to  eat. 

5.  Eat  substantial,  well-cooked  food. 

6.  Avoid  pastry  and  superfine  flour. 

7.  Do  not  eat  very  cold  or  very  warm  food. 

8.  Do  not  restrict  the  action  of  the  stomach  by 
corsets  or  stays. 

9.  To  neutralize  the  acidity  of  the  mouth  use 
lime  water ;  taken  in  moderate  doses,  internally,  it  is 
very  efficient  in  hardening  the  teeth ;  it  may  also  be 
used  as  a  mouth  wash  after  each  meal. 

10.  Lactophosphate  of  lime  may  be  used  in 
those  cases  in  which  the  food  is  deficient  in  lime 
salts;  it  assists  in  retaining  food  on  the  stomach. 
It  strengthens  the  mother's  teeth  and  contributes 
to  the  better  development  of  those  of  her  children. 
It  should  be  taken  in  teaspoonful  doses  three  times 
daily. 


6o 


CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 


A  solution  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  makes  another 
excellent  mouth,  wash.  Use  a  teaspoonful  in  a 
glass  of  water  after  each  meal ;  like  lime  water,  it  is 
excellent  in  neutralizing  the  acidity  of  the  mouth. 

ii.  Avoid  the  use  of  either  liquor  or  tobacco. 


A  case  of  irregularity  of  the  teeth. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


CHILDREN  S   TEETH. 


By  a  natural  progression  we  are  brought  to  the 
consideration  of  children's  teeth.  After  the  mother 
has  secured  to  her  child  a  solid  foundation,  her  work 
has  but  begun.  As  soon  as  the  teeth  appear  they 
must  be  carefully  watched,  for  as  they  take  some 
time  to  solidify,  they  easily  decay.  As  to  the  best 
means  for  preserving  these  organs,  there  is  much 
misunderstanding  and  lack  of  knowledge,  and  hence 
many  a  child's  teeth  are  unwittingly  permitted  to 
decay.  The  following  suggestions  on  the  care  of 
infants'  teeth  will,  therefore,  I  think,  be  of  some 
service  to  the  reader. 

Children  grow  two  sets  of  teeth.  The  milk  teeth, 
twenty  in  number,  and  the  permanent  ones,  thirty- 
two  in  number. 

The  milk  teeth  generally  appear  as  follows : 

Central  incisor, 5th  to  6th  month. 

Lateral  incisor, 7th  to  8th  month. 


62  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

First  molars,     .....     12th  to  16th  month. 

Canines, 14th  to  20th  month. 

Second  molars, 21st  to  36th  month. 

The  eruption  of  the  lower  teeth  usually  takes 
place  before  that  of  the  upper. 

The  permanent  teeth  appear  in  the  following 
order : 

First  molars, 5th  to  6th  year. 

Central  incisors,  lower  jaw,    .  6th  to  7th  year. 

Central  incisors,  upper  jaw,    .  7th  to  8th  year. 

Lateral  incisors, 7th  to  9th  year. 

First  bicuspids, 9th  to  10th  year. 

Second    bicuspids,     ....  10th  to  nth  year. 

Canines, nth  to  13th  year. 

Second  molars, 12th  to  15th  year. 

Third  molars,  or  wisdom  teeth,  17th  to  23d    year. 

As  the  milk  teeth  last  but  a  short  time,  or  until 
they  are  displaced  by  the  permanent  teeth,  very 
little  attention  is  generally  paid  to  their  preserva- 
tion. Tartar  and  filth  are  allowed  to  accumulate, 
and  as  soon  as  they  become  troublesome  they  are 
extracted. 

The  idea  that  the  milk  or  deciduous  teeth  should 
be  taken  out  as  soon  as  they  ache,  is  not  only 
erroneous  but  harmful.     So  long  as  they  can  be 


CHILDREN  S  TEETH. 


63 


saved,  they  should  not  be  removed,  as  serious 
injury  is  inflicted  on  the  child.  If  these  are  ex- 
tracted the  incoming  permanent  ones  are  seriously 
interfered  with;  they  grow  out  of  their  allotted 
space,  or  grow  in  an  irregular  manner,  distort  the 


Illustrates  the  jaws  of  a  child  between  six  and  seven  years  of  age,  showing 
the  relations  of  the  two  sets  of  teeth. 

mouth  and  impede  the  work  of  mastication.  Na- 
ture indicates  the  time  for  their  removal  by  absorb- 
ing their  roots  and  loosening  their  crowns,  prepara- 
tory to  the  appearance  of  the  permanent  teeth. 
Moreover,  it  is  somewhat  dangerous  to  extract  any 
of  the  milk  teeth,  because  the  jaw  is  not  yet  per- 


64  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

fectly  developed,  and  is,  therefore,  very  frail  and 
liable  to  fracture.  It  is  because  of  this  belief  and 
the  consequent  neglect  that  the  milk  teeth  decay  so 
rapidly.  As  soon  as  they  appear,  they  should  be 
cleaned  every  day  with  soft  linen,  and  when  all  the 
teeth  are  erupted,  a  soft  brush  should  be  used. 
Tartar,  easily  distinguishable  by  the  dark  or  green 
stain  which  it  imparts,  should  not  be  permitted  to 
accumulate. 

From  the  tables  already  given,  it  appears  that  at 
the  age  of  six  the  child  has  four,  and  at  the  age  of 
twelve  it  has  twenty-eight  of  the  permanent  teeth. 

The  sixth-year  molars  deserve  a  special  notice, 
because  they  are  so  frequently  confounded  with  the 
first  set  of  teeth.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that  those 
back  teeth  of  the  upper  and  lower  jaw  on  either  side 
make  their  appearance  before  any  of  the  first  teeth 
are  shed.  If  neglected,  as  they  too  often  are,  they 
are  early  lost,  and  can  never  be  replaced,  except 
artificially.  When  you  are  able  to  count  a  row  of 
eleven  or  twelve  in  each  jaw — that  is,  as  soon  as 
there  are  more  than  twenty  teeth  in  all — you  may 
be  sure  that  the  last  molars  on  either  side  belong 
to  the  second  set. 

During  the  eruption  of  the  milk  teeth,  children 
frequently  suffer  from  stomatitis,  or  inflammation 
of  the  soft  part  of  the  mouth,  due  to  the  irritation 


children's  teeth.  65 

produced  by  the  teeth  forcing  their  way  to  the  sur- 
face. The  mucous  membrane,  or  lining  of  the 
mouth,  becomes  very  red,  there  is  an  increased  flow 
of  saliva,  the  parts  are  irritable  and  sore,  the  child 
is  in  a  feverish  state,  it  is  disinclined  to  put  any- 
thing in  its  mouth,  or  to  take  food  either  from  the 
spoon  or  nipple,  because  of  the  pain  which  it  expe- 
riences. The  irritation  and  swelling  may  be  so 
extensive  that  the  entire  nervous  system  becomes 
affected,  and  the  child  is  thrown  into  convulsions. 
Relief  may  frequently  be  obtained  by  lancing  the 
gums,  and  thus  mitigating  the  irritating  pressure  of 
the  incoming  teeth,  and  by  spraying  the  mouth  with 
a  solution  of  fifteen  grains  of  borax,  or  chlorate  of 
potassium,  dissolved  in  a  tumblerful  of  water,  or 
by  painting  the  cheeks  and  lips  with  linseed. 

Of  course,  during  dentition  children  may  suffer 
from  many  other  diseases,  none  of  which  are  within 
the  province  of  the  dentist.  In  such  cases  the  physi- 
cian should  be  consulted,  and  much  unnecessary 
pain,  if  not  serious  consequences,  may  be  avoided 
by  a  timely  call. 

Very  early  in  life  children  may  acquire  bad  habits, 
which  shall  result  in  deformity  of  the  teeth,  and 
hence  parents  should  make  a  strong  effort  to  correct 
them. 

Thumb  or  Finger  Sucking. — By  this  habit  the 

5 


66  CARE   OF  THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

lower  teeth  are  forced  inwards  and  the  upper  teeth 
outwards.  These  results  are  due  to  the  peculiar 
way  in  which  the  fingers  rest  upon  the  teeth  during 
the  act  of  sucking.  Unless  this  habit  is  checked 
before  the  permanent  teeth  appear,  it  will  result  in 


An  irregular  dentition  due  to  thumb  sucking. 

disfiguring  them,  and  speech  and  mastication  will 
be  impaired.  The  habit  may  be  broken  by  wrap- 
ping the  finger  with  muslin  saturated  with  some 
harmless  preparation,  disagreeable  to  the  taste. 

Lip  Sucking. — This  is  another  habit  which  may 
result  in  depression  of  the  lower  teeth.  The  child, 
by  drawing  the  lower  lip  into  the  mouth,  exerts  a 
pressure  upon  the  teeth,  and  they  are  forced  inward 
to  such  an  extent  that  deformity  results.  The 
space  for  the  back  teeth  is  greatly  contracted,  and 
extraction  of  one  or  more  is  required  to  make  room 
for  all  the  teeth  in  the  arch. 


children's  teeth.  67 

If  the  child  cannot  be  broken  of  this  habit  in 
any  other  way,  a  fixture  similar  to  a  splint  ought 
to  be  made  and  put  between  its  teeth  and  lips,  so 
as  to  make  it  impossible  to  draw  the  lips  into  the 
mouth. 

Mouth  Breathing. — Mouth  breathing  also  pro- 
duces irregularity  of  the  teeth.  This  habit,  most 
commonly  indulged  during  sleep,  is  frequently  due 
to  some  nasal  obstruction  of  the  air  passages.  In 
these  cases  surgical  operations  are  often  necessary. 
Sometimes  the  habit  is  acquired  when  no  organic 
trouble  exists.  The  most  effective  way  of  breaking 
this  habit  is  that  employed  by  the  Indian  mother, 
who  bandages  the  mouth  of  the  child,  and  in  this 
way  forces  it  to  breathe  through  the  nostrils,  or  not 
to  breathe  at  all.  Rubber  appliances,  working  on 
the  same  principle,  are  in  use  to-day,  only  they  are 
free  from  the  barbarous  character  of  the  Indian 
method;  that  is,  they  work  on  the  principle  of 
inducing  nose  breathing,  by  making  it  so  difficult 
to  breathe  through  the  mouth  that  the  child  readily 
accustoms  itself  to  breathe  through  its  nostrils. 

Cracking  Nuts,  Etc. — Teeth  must  not  be  used 
as  nut-crackers.  Like  the  bones,  they  are  not  solid- 
ified in  early  life.  Even  if  they  are,  cracking  nuts 
with  them  will  soon  result  in  their  destruction,  as 
they  were  not  intended  for  such  violent  work. 


68  CARE   OF  THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

Candies. — Children  should  be  advised  to  abstain 
from  candies.  I  mean  cheap  candies;  those  of  the 
best  quality  are  harmless  enough,  but  the  cheap 
candies  are  frequently  mixed  with  acids  and  arsenic, 
the  latter  being  used  as  coloring  material.  We  need 
hardly  add  that  these  foreign  substances  are  most 
destructive  in  their  action  on  the  teeth. 

Eating. — Children  should  be  prevented  from 
drinking  very  cold  water  after  partaking  of  a  warm 
meal.  With  Americans  the  use  of  ice  water  is  very 
common.  Very  often  after  drinking  hot  coffee  or 
tea,  a  large  quantity  of  cold  water  is  drunk.  This 
mixture  of  the  warm  and  cold  is  very  injurious,  not 
only  to  the  stomach,  but  also  to  the  teeth.  The 
habit  should  be  broken  in  childhood,  because  when 
once  formed  it  is  difficult  to  overcome.  But  unless 
the  food  contains  a  generous  supply  of  tooth-build- 
ing material,  no  amount  of  cleanliness  or  correction 
of  bad  habits  will  suffice  to  preserve  the  teeth. 

An  eminent  physician,  speaking  on  the  subject  of 
food,  says :  "  Our  pale-faced  boys  and  girls  are 
brought  to  this  condition  by  living  on  butter,  sugar 
and  superfine  flour.  To  prepare  these  articles,  the 
very  elements  that  make  bone  and  tissue  are  ex- 
tracted." The  child  must  be  fed  on  plain,  substan- 
tial food;  it  must  not  be  too  fat  or  too  rich,  all 
pastries  being  avoided.     A  teaspoonful  of  lacto^ 


children's  teeth.  69 

phosphate  of  lime,  or  lime  water,  administered  three 
times  a  day,  will  add  greatly  to  the  strength  of  the 
child's  teeth. 

To  conclude,  let  me  say  that  as  soon  as  the  milk 
teeth  appear  the  utmost  care  should  be  taken  of 
them.  The  child  should  be  examined  by  a  dentist 
at  regular  intervals,  say  of  six  months.  It  should 
not  have  any  of  the  temporary  teeth  extracted,  but 
have  them  filled  wherever  necessary,  and  so  pre- 
serve them  until  the  permanent  teeth  are  erupted. 

By  following  these  suggestions  and  bringing  to 
their  aid  good  common  sense,  mothers  may  secure 
to  their  children  a  set  of  strong,  healthy  teeth, 
which,  with  proper  care,  will  last  a  life-time. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


CROWN   AND   BRIDGE   WORK. 


Although  this  department  of  dental  practice 
offers  to  humanity  one  of  the  most  useful  and  orna- 
mental devices  yet  discovered,  very  little,  as  yet,  is 
known  of  it  among  the  people.  By  its  employ- 
ment, teeth  that  it  would  otherwise  be  necessary  to 

extract  are  preserved,  and 
artificial  plates  are  dis- 
pensed with.  It  is  cer- 
tainly more  expensive 
than  artificial  dentures, 
but  the  comfort  and  con- 
venience afforded,  to>  say 
nothing  of  durability, 
amply  repay  the  outlay. 

Crown  Work. — This 
is  the  process  of  attaching 
artificial  crowns  to  badly 
decayed  teeth,  or  to  roots.  There  are  a  number  of 
kinds  of  crowns  used.    Those  intended  for  teeth  in 


Crowns  for  front  teeth. 


CROWN   AND   BRIDGE   WORK. 


71 


the  anterior  part  of  the  mouth  are  of  porcelain,  or 
have  porcelain  facings,  while  those  employed  for 
back  teeth  alone  are  commonly  made  of  gold  only. 

The  latter  class  are  caps  of  gold,  which  com- 
pletely envelop  and  enclose  the  crown  of  the  tooth, 
and  they  are  used  in  those  cases  in  which  decay  has 
so  wrecked  them  that  a  rilling  will  fail  to  preserve 
them  in  a  satisfactory  condition.     Surrounded  by 


Crowns  for  back  teeth. 

its  gold  cap,  the  tooth  cannot  come  into  contact 
with  foreign  substances,  so  that  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible for  decay  to  recur. 

For  front  teeth,  crowns  with  porcelain  facings  are 
employed,  to  prevent  the  unsightly  appearance  of 
such  an  apparent  mass  of  metal.  The  porcelain 
facing  gives  to  the  tooth  a  natural  appearance. 

Formerly,  the  work  of  crowning,  which  demands 
great  skill  and  discrimination,  was  confined  mainly 
to  the  back  teeth;  but  the  modern  dentist,  having 


72  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

improved  methods  of  manipulation,  successfully 
operates  on  any  tooth,  if  it  have  but  roots  which 
are  firmly  imbedded  in  the  jaw. 

Bridge  Work. — When  there  are  two  or  more 
sound  roots  or  teeth,  with  spaces  from  which  teeth 
have  been  lost  between  them,  it  is  possible  to  sup- 
ply the  missing  teeth  by  constructing  a  bridge  of 
crowns  across  the  vacancy. 

The  crowns  are  soldered  to  each  other,  the  termi- 
nal ones  being  firmly  attached  to  the  sound  teeth  or 
roots,  in  such  manner  that  each  of  the  in- 
termediate crowns  occupies  the  space  of  a 
missing  tooth.  They  may  be  constructed 
with  a  porcelain  facing,  so  that  the  whole 
work  shall  present  to  the  observer  a  most 
natural  appearance.  There  are  a  variety 
of  methods  for  constructing  these  bridges, 
each  excellent  in  itself,  and  each  specially 
adapted     to     some     particular     class     of 

Artificial  r  r 

Crown,  cases. 
Bridge  work  has  been  condemned  by  many  den- 
tists of  high  standing,  because  it  has  been  so  much 
abused  through  its  improper  use.  Some  practition- 
ers, either  because  of  a  mistaken  enthusiasm  or  from 
some  less  worthy  motive,  have  inserted  bridges  upon 
insecure  or  diseased  roots,  with  the  natural  conse- 
quence of  their  early  failure.    Others  have  not  hesi- 


A  piece  of  Bridge  Work. 


74  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

tated  to  sacrifice  good  and  serviceable  teeth  for  the 
purpose  of  putting  in  bridges.  All  these  possible 
abuses  do  not  excuse  the  wholesale  denunciations  of 
that  which  is  proper  and  correct  practice.  As  well 
might  one  condemn  the  filling  of  teeth,  because 
poor  work  is  sometimes  done. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  this  kind 
of  work  is  that,  when  properly  made  and  inserted, 
the  patient  soon  loses  all  consciousness  of  its  artifi- 
ciality. The  crowns  and  teeth  being  attached  to 
natural  roots  and  immovable,  approach  more  nearly 
to  the  natural  organs,  and  the  patient  suffers  less 
discomfort  than  from  any  other  artificial  substitutes. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

FRACTURED   JAWS. 

To  the  great  majority  of  people  the  word  "  den- 
tist "  conveys  but  one  idea — that  of  a  tooth-puller. 
It  is  true  that  in  the  past  dentistry  was  practiced 
to  a  large  extent  by  persons  engaged  in  some  other 
pursuit,  and  without  any  professional  education 
whatever.  The  blacksmith,  barber,  watchmaker, 
and  others  of  the  same  class,  were  the  dentists  of 
every  village  and  town.  Even  in  some  of  our  lar- 
gest cities,  dentists  of  this  kind  were,  until  quite 
lately,  found  practicing  under  the  very  shadows  of 
the  Universities  and  Medical  schools.  The  expla- 
nation of  this  seems  to  be  that  mere  tooth  draw- 
ing constituted  the  surgical  dentistry  of  those  days, 
and  as  the  operation  of  extraction  is  one  requiring 
muscular  strength  and  manual  dexterity  rather 
than  anatomical  knowledge  and  surgical  skill,  and 
was  performed  as  successfully  by  the  irregular  as 
by  the  regular  practitioner,  it  had  not  many 
attractions  for  medical  men.     Dentistry  was,  ac- 


76 


CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 


cordingly,  assigned  to  the  uneducated  and  the  char- 
latan. 

To-day,  however,  the  province  of  dentistry  em- 
braces the  art  of  treating  the  diseases  and  lesions  of 
the  teeth,  and  supplying  artificial  substitutes  for 
these  organs  when  lost.  Diseases  of  the  teeth  and 
.mouth  are  not  always  local  affections,  but  may,  and 
very  frequently  do,  arise  from  constitutional  causes ; 
hence  the  dentist  who  is  thoroughly  qualified  to 
heal,  as  well  as  to  repair  and  ameliorate,  must  be 

both  a  surgeon  and  a 
physician.  He  must  be 
skilled,  not  only  in  the 
mechanical,  but  also  in 
the  therapeutical  depart- 
ment af  his  profession 
As  a  result,  many  affec- 
tions of  the  teeth  and  the 
various  portions  of  the 
mouth,  for  the  treatment 
of  which  people  in  former  times  had  recourse  to  the 
physician  or  the  surgeon,  to-day  more  properly  are 
relegated  to  the  dentist,  who,  making  a  specialty  of 
these  parts,  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  them,  and 
can  properly  be  termed  a  specialist  in  diseases  of 
the  mouth. 

This  fact  is  so  well  appreciated  by  the  general 


Interdental  Splint. 


FRACTURED   JAWS.  77 

practitioners  in  medicine  and  surgery,  that  they 
have  no  hesitancy  in  referring  their  patients  to  the 
dentist  in  every  case  of  oral  disease,  independent  of 
any  affection  of  the  teeth,  and  particularly  is  this 
the  case  in  fractures. 

Fractured  Jaws. — In  discussing  this  subject,  I 
wish  at  the  outset  to  mention  the  fact  that  they  are 
most  frequently  due  to  direct  manual  blows  received 
in  fights.  They  may  also  be  the  result  of  kicks, 
falls  and  other  forms  of  violence.  Fractures  of  the 
lower  jaw  are  most  frequent,  those  of  the  upper 
jaw  being  rarely  encountered. 

The  lower  jaw  has  its  weakest  place  between  the 
canine  and  bicuspid  teeth,  owing  to  the  long  roots 
of  the  former,  and  it  is  at  this  point  that  fractures 
are  most  often  met,  although  they  may  occur  in 
any  other  part  of  the  bone.  Out  of  a  great  number 
of  fractured  jaws  that  have  been  under  my  treat- 
ment, four-fifths  were  due  to  violent  blows  received 
during  quarrels,  the  remaining  one-fifth  occurring 
through  accidents.  In  most  of  these  cases  the  jaw 
was  fractured  between  the  canine  and  bicuspid 
teeth. 

In  newly  fractured  jaws  there  is  a  slight  move- 
ment of  the  broken  parts,  which  can  be  felt  by 
pressing  them  with  the  fingers.  The  simplest 
method  of  detecting  a  fracture  is  as  follows: 


78  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

Grasp  the  jaw  with  both  hands,  applied  on  each 
side  of  the  apparent  seat  of  injury,  so  as  to  hold  the 
bone  between  the  thumb  and  index  fingers;  then, 
by  slight  opposite  movements  directed  both  upward 
and  downward,  a  positive  conclusion  may  be  reached 
through  the  mobility  of  the  parts.  In  badly  frac- 
tured jaws  the  teeth  are  irregular,  owing  to  the  alter- 
ation of  the  level  of  the  fractured  parts,  and  when 


Interdental  Splint.    View  of  upper  Interdental  Splint.    View  of  under 

surface.  surface. 

the  jaws  are  brought  together  they  do  not  meet  as 
formerly,  while  very  frequently  the  jaws  cannot  be 
closed  at  all.  On  the  slightest  pressure  or  move- 
ment severe  pain  is  felt,  and  inflammation,  and 
usually  suppuration,  succeed. 

The  jaw  should  be  kept  at  rest,  and  all  irritation 
of  the  fractured  parts  through  movements  caused 
by  conversation,  eating,  etc.,  should  be  carefully 
avoided.     No  time  should  be  lost  in  visiting  the 


FRACTURED   JAWS. 


79 


dentist,  for  the  more  recent  the  fracture  the  more 
readily  can  it  be  reduced,  and  the  more  rapid  will 
be  the  healing  process.  For  the  treatment  of  frac- 
tured jaws  the  interdental  splint  has  been  devised, 
by  the  aid  of  which  they  are  quickly  and  easily 
healed. 

This  splint  is  made  in  the  shape  of  a  horseshoe, 
so  as  to  correspond  precisely  to  the  arches  of  both  the 
upper  and  lower  jaws. 
The  two  wide  surfaces 
have  depressions  into 
which,  when  it  is  placed 
between  the  two  arches, 
the  crowns  of  the  upper 
and  lower  teeth  fit  ac- 
curately. That  is,  the 
crowns  of  the  superior 
teeth  fit  into  depressions 
in  the  upper  surface  of 
the  splint,  while  the 
crowns  of  the  inferior 
teeth  are  in  the  same 
manner  received  by  the  Splint  retained  by  a  sku11  cap- 
lower  surface  of  this  appliance.  Thus,  when  the 
splint  is  placed  in  the  mouth,  the  teeth  and  jaws 
become  locked  and  immovable. 

In  the  center  of  the  splint  there  is  an  opening  for 


80  CARE   OF   THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

the  reception  of  fluid  food.  Nature  unites  the  frac- 
tured bone  by  the  formation  of  new  bone  around 
and  between  the  broken  parts,  when  they  are 
brought  into  accurate  coaptation  and  kept  immova- 
ble for  a  certain  time,  and  preserved  in  good  hy- 
gienic condition. 

In  compliance  with  these  principles,  all  inter- 
dental splints  are  constructed  to  fit  the  mouth  as 
though  no  fracture  had  occurred.  When  such  a 
splint  is  applied  to  the  mouth,  the  fractured  parts 
must,  of  necessity,  by  a  slight  pressure,  resume 
their  original  position,  and  then  nature  does  the 
rest. 

It  usually  takes  from  three  to  six  weeks  for  a 
perfect  union  to  be  effected.  I  have  dwelt  at  some 
length  on  fractures  and  splints,  because  I  wish,  first, 
to  show  how  easily  a  fractured  jaw  can  be  healed 
through  the  aid  of  a  splint;  and  secondly,  to  dissi- 
pate the  distrust  with  which  some  people  are  apt  to 
regard  those  dental  surgeons  who  undertake  to  per- 
form such  operations.  To  illustrate  the  second 
point  more  forcibly,  I  will  relate  the  following  case : 

A  short  time  ago  a  lad,  four  or  five  years  of  age, 
was  kicked  by  a  horse,  and  his  lower  jaw  was  bro- 
ken. I  was  called  in  as  consulting  dentist,  and  sug- 
gested the  use  of  the  splint.  As  the  parents  had 
never  heard  of  this  device,  they  immediately  became 


FRACTURED   JAWS.  8l 

distrustful,  and  by  their  misgivings  and  fretfulness 
greatly  interfered  with  the  work  of  fitting  the 
splint.  Even  after  it  had  been  introduced  into  the 
child's  mouth,  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty 
that  they  were  prevented  from  removing  it.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  weeks  the  fracture  was  completely 
healed,  and  I  may  add  that  the  parents  were  thor- 
oughly cured  of  their  distrust. 


CHAPTER   X. 


CLEFT     PALATES 


Nature's  freaks  are  so  numerous  and  unlooked 
for  that  her  infallibility  becomes  a  matter  of  grave 
suspicion.  The  deaf,  the  mute,  the  lame  and  the 
afflicted,  daily  born  into  the  world,  are  examples  of 
her  many  whims  and  caprices.  Were  it  not  for  the 
unwearied  efforts  of  science,  these  unfortunate  vic- 
tims would  find  life  well-nigh  intolerable. 

Thanks,  however,  to  a  broad  philanthropy,  the 
blind  can  be  taught  to  read  and  to  write,  the  deaf 
and  dumb  to  communicate  with  those  about  them, 
while  the  deformed  are  enabled  in  a  great  measure 
to  overcome  their  natural  defects  and  to  be  placed 
upon  the  same  level  with  their  neighbors. 

Few,  if  any,  are  more  entitled  to  our  sympathy 
and  our  best  efforts  for  relief  than  those  unfortunate 
ones  who  are  born  into  the  world  with  a  defective 
palate,  for  they  are  thereby  deprived  of  one  of  the 
greatest  blessings  bestowed  upon  man,  the  faculty  of 


CLEFT   PALATES.  83 

distinct  speech,  as  well  as  the  power  properly  to  per- 
form the  functions  of  mastication  and  deglutition. 
The  palate  is  the  roof  of  the  mouth.    It  consists 


Cleft  through  the  hard  and  soft  palates. 

of  two  parts,  the  hard  and  the  soft  palate.  The 
former  is  of  bony,  while  the  latter  of  muscular 
tissue.  The  hard  palate  serves  not  only  as  the  roof 
of  the  mouth,  but  also  as  the  floor  of  the  nose. 
The  soft  palate  is  suspended  like  a  curtain  from  the 
posterior  edge  of  the  hard  palate. 

Its  function  is  very  important,  and  consists,  dur- 


84  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

ing  deglutition,  in  closing  the  passage  from  the 
pharynx  into  the  posterior  nares,  so  that  food  may 
not  get  into'  the  nose. 

Each  palate  is,  moreover,  divided  into  two  parts, 
which  are  united  in  the  median  line  of  the  mouth. 
The  union  of  these  parts  generally  occurs  during 
the  third  week  of  embryonic  life.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, this  does  not  take  place,  and  the  child  is  born 
with  a  perforated  palate.  Such  an  one  is  techni- 
cally called  a  congenital  cleft  palate. 

There  are  also>  accidental  cleft  palates,  due  to 
disease  resulting  from  an  irregular  and  debauched 
life.  Cleft  palates  of  the  latter  class  are  much  more 
numerous  than  those  of  the  former.  Congenital 
cleft  palates  vary  in  size  and  form.  Sometimes 
both  hard  and  soft  palates  are  perforated.  In  such 
cases  the  interior  of  the  nose  and  the  bones  of  the 
skull  are  exposed,  and  the  whole  presents  a  very 
ghastly  appearance. 

Accidental,  or  acquired,  cleft  palates  also  vary, 
and  either  the  soft  or  hard  tissues,  or  both,  may  be 
affected. 

In  congenital  cases  the  sufferer  does  not  experi- 
ence any  great  inconvenience  during  the  process  of 
deglutition,  as  the  instinct  of  self-preservation  has 
from  childhood  taught  the  sufferer  to  close  the  cleft 
with  the  tongue.    Then,  by  placing  the  food  under 


CLEFT    PALATES. 


85 


that  organ,  it  is  shifted  from  side  to  side  until 
forced  into  the  pharynx.  This  process  is  a  very 
curious  and  complicated  one.  None  of  us,  try  as 
hard  as  he  may,  could  imitate  it.  For  this  reason, 
if  one  becomes  afflicted  with  such  a  palate  in  adult 
life,  he  can  in  no*  way  accustom  himself  to  close 
the  opening  with  his  tongue,  and,  therefore,  when- 
ever he  attempts  to  eat,  a  portion  of  the  food  is  in- 
variably forced  into-  the  nose.  The  patient  thus 
not  only  suffers  great  inconvenience,  but  it  becomes 
the  source  of  constant  humiliation. 


Obturator  with  partial  Upper  Plate. 

But  by  far  the  greatest  embarrassment  to  which 
these  sufferers  are  subjected,  whether  the  cleft  be 
congenital  or  acquired,  arises  from  their  inability  to 
speak  clearly  and  distinctly.  For  a  distinct  utter- 
ance of  vocal  sounds  every  part  of  the  mouth  is 
essential.  In  many  cases,  indeed,  the  cleft  makes 
speech  utterly  impossible. 


86  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

Formerly,  to  remedy  these  evils  recourse  was  had 
to  surgical  operation.   Staphylorraphy,  which  means 

suturing  or  sewing  to- 
gether, was  the  most  com- 
mon remedial  measure. 
But  this  operation  in  many 
cases  proved  unsuccessful. 
It  consisted  in  paring 
the  edges  of  the  cleft,  and 
then  sewing  them  to- 
gether. This  necessitated 
the  stretching  of  the  soft 
parts  to  such  a  degree  that 
they  would  eventually 
rupture.  Dentistry  has 
succeeded  in  constructing 
an    appliance    which,    by 

Upper  denture  with  artificial  ,  .  .*  t  r     *i 

soft  palate.  taking   the   place   of   the 

lost  parts,  enables  the  palate  properly  to  perform 
its  functions.  These  contrivances  are  known  under 
the  name  of  obturators. 

Where  the  hard  palate  alone  is  perforated,  the 
obturator  is  very  simple.  It  consists  of  an  ordinary 
artificial  plate,  extending  over  the  cleft. 

But  where  the  soft  palate  is  involved,  it  is  very 
complicated  and  difficult  of  construction.  In  such 
cases  the  obturator  consists  of  an  artificial  plate,  to 


CLEFT   PALATES. 


87 


the  posterior  edge  of  which  is  attached  a  pendulous 
body,  corresponding  in  size  and  shape  to  the  missing 
soft    palate,    and 
fitting   exactly   in 
its  place. 

In  some  cases 
this  pendulous 
body    is    given    a 


hinge  movement, 
the  muscles  of  the 
mouth  enabling  it 
to  perform  all  the 
functions  of  the 
soft  palate.  The 
obturators  are 
held  in  position 
by    means    of 

ClaSpS       Or       nngS,     upper  jaw  without  teeth,  showing  cleft  palate. 

which    embrace 

the  natural  teeth,  as  it  is  impossible,  owing  to  the 
cleft,  to  utilize  the  forces  of  adhesion  and  atmos- 
pheric pressure,  as  would  be  done  in  the  case  of 
artificial  dentures. 

The  use  of  the  obturator  has  never  failed  to  re- 
store clearness  and  distinctness  to  speech,  or  the 
power  properly  to  perform  the  process  of  degluti- 
tion.    Of  course,  in  congenital  clefts,  the  sufferer 


88  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

has  never  known  how  to  utter  the  proper  sounds, 
and  for  this  reason  it  requires  a  great  deal  of  pa- 
tience and  perseverance  on  his  part  before  he  is  able 
to  do  so.  He  must  learn  just  like  a  young  child. 
But  in  the  case  of  acquired  clefts,  the  patient  still 
retains  the  knowledge  of  the  former  method  of 
utterance;  he  only  needs  some  contrivance  to  close 
up  the  cleft,  to  restore  to  him  the  power  of  speech. 
So  it  can  readily  be  seen  that  when  the  palates,  or 
either  of  them,  are  perforated,  the  plate  and  the 
pendulous  body  thereto  attached,  if  properly  made, 
will  completely  close  the  entrance  to  the  nose  and 
prevent  the  food  from  being  forced  into  it. 

The  obturator  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  many 
benefits  modern  dentistry  has  conferred  upon  man- 
kind. By  its  means  men  are  restored  to  society, 
who,  either  through  the  misfortune  of  birth  or  from 
wantonness,  have  become  to  others  an  object  of 
pity — to  themselves,  one  of  disgust. 


CHAPTER    XL 

HINTS   ON    HOME   REMEDIES. 

People  are  frequently  seized  with  toothache  at 
times  when  it  is  almost  impossible  to  visit  the  den- 
tist. On  such  occasions  they  listen  eagerly  to  the 
advice  of  kind  and  sympathetic  friends,  each  of 
whom  has  some  pet  medicine  to  recommend  that 
he  is  convinced  will  prove  efficacious;  these  reme- 
dies too  often  are  only  active  in  burning  the  pa- 
tient's mouth,  so  when  one  of  these  self-doctored 
sufferers  obtains  professional  advice,  the  tissues  are 
so  inflamed  that  before  the  teeth  can  be  treated  the 
work  of  home  doctoring  must  be  undone. 

Recognizing  the  difficulties  under  which  one  la- 
bors who  is  thus  suddenly  attacked,  I  have  deter- 
mined in  this  chapter  to  lay  down  a  few  sug- 
gestions, which,  if  properly  followed,  will  enable 
patients  to  treat  themselves  in  an  intelligent  and 
effective  manner  until  they  can  reach  the  dentist. 
Of  course,  in  a  book  such  as  this,  it  is  impossible  to 
speak  of  every  disease  that  may  affect  the  teeth. 


«90  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

To  attempt  it  would  result  in  producing  a  work  not 
only  very  voluminous,  but  also  very  confusing,  as 
the  distinctions  between  many  of  the  disorders  are 
very  subtle,  and  comprehensible  only  to  the  dentist. 
There  are  others,  however,  whose  cause  even  a  lay- 
man can  readily  ascertain,  and  to  which  some  sim- 
ple remedy  may  be  temporarily  applied  with  good 
effect.  I  shall  treat  in  this  chapter  of  the  follow- 
ing maladies : 

I.  Aching    teeth,    with    a    cavity    caused    by 
decay.     Of  these  there  are  two  classes : 

A.  When  the  pulp  within  the  cavity  is 

living. 

B.  When  the  pulp  within  the  cavity  is 

dead. 

II.  Filled  teeth  that  ache.     Of  these  there  are 
two  classes : 

A.  When  the  pulp  is  living. 

B.  When  the  pulp  is  dead. 

III.  Aching  gums.    These  are  usually  due  to  one 

of  the  following  causes: 

A.  Tartar. 

B.  A  cold. 

C.  Recent  cleaning  of  teeth. 

D.  Extraction  of  teeth. 

IV.  Hemorrhage. 


HINTS   ON    HOME  REMEDIES.  9 1 

V.  Neuralgia. 
VI.  Foul  breath. 
VII.  Dislocated  jaw. 
VIII.  Faintness  after  extraction. 
IX.  Food  to  be  used  in  place  of  solid  food. 

When  suffering  from  toothache,  find  out  if  any 
of  the  teeth  have  a  cavity;  you  can  do  this  by 
probing  the  teeth  with  an  ordinary  toothpick,  or 
some  similar  instrument.  If  you  discover  a  cavity,, 
determine  whether  the  pulp  within  the  cavity  is 
living  or  dead. 

I.     Aching  Teeth  with  a  Cavity  of  Decay. 

a.     when  the  pulp  is  living. 

Diagnosis. — To  determine  whether  the  pulp  is 
living  or  dead,  take  some  very  warm  or  very  cold 
water  in  the  mouth,  and  bring  it  in  contact  with 
the  pulp.  If  the  pain  is  thereby  increased,  the 
pulp  is  living.  Another  very  simple  method  for 
determining  whether  the  pulp  is  living  or  not,  is  to 
insert  a  toothpick  into  the  cavity  and  press  upon 
the  pulp.  If  the  pain  thereby  is  intensified,  the 
pulp  is  living.  In  fact,  living  pulps  are  so  sensitive 
that  the  introduction  of  any  foreign  material  into* 
the  cavity  will  greatly  increase  the  suffering. 


92  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

Treatment. — Wash  out  the  cavity,  either  by 
rinsing  the  mouth  with  lukewarm  water,  or  by  em- 
ploying a  syringe,  if  one  is  at  hand.  After  the  cav- 
ity is  thoroughly  cleaned,  insert  into  it  a  pellet,  or 
little  ball  of  cotton,  saturated  with  spirits  of  cam- 
phor, oil  of  cloves  or  laudanum.  Over  the  pellet 
insert  a  piece  of  dry  cotton,  so  as  completely  to  fill 
the  cavity,  and  thus  protect  the  pulp  from  sudden 
changes  of  temperature,  or  the  intrusion  of  foreign 
substances. 

B.      ACHING  TEETH  WHEN  THE  PULP  IS  DEAD. 

Diagnosis. — Of  these  teeth  there  are  two  kinds ; 
in  the  first,  the  patient  suffers  from  mere  inflamma- 
tion of  the  lining  membrane  between  the  root  and 
the  socket;  in  the  second,  the  inflammation  has  de- 
veloped an  abscess  or  gumboil.  Prompt  treatment 
in  the  first  stage  of  the  disease  may  prevent  the 
second.  The  symptoms  of  the  two  stages  are  alike, 
except  that  in  the  second  there  is  a  swelling  of  the 
gums  around  the  tooth.  The  teeth  are  elongated 
above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  ones,  and  are 
very  sore,  so  that  on  closing  the  mouth  they  are 
struck  first  and  a  painful  shock  is  experienced. 
They  are  also  discolored,  or  somewhat  darker  than 
the  surrounding  teeth;  a  bad  odor  also  sometimes 
issues  from  them. 


HINTS   ON    HOME   REMEDIES.  93 

Treatment. — For  the  first  stage,  or  that  in 
which  there  is  mere  inflammation  of  the  lining 
membrane : 

1st.  Apply  a  dental  plaster  to  the  gums.  It  may 
be  obtained  at  almost  any  drug  store.     Or, 

2d.  Rub  iodine  and  aconite  in  equal  parts 
around  the  gums  with  cotton,  or  a  camel's-hair 
brush;  before  the  mixture  is  applied,  dry  the  gums 
thoroughly.  The  iodine  and  aconite  induce  a 
healthy  flow  of  the  blood,  and  facilitate  the  re- 
moval of  the  waste  material.  Be  careful  not  to 
swallow  the  remedies,  as  they  are  poisonous.     Or, 

3d.  Apply  a  leech  to  the  gums,  through  a  tube. 
Or, 

4th.  Employ  a  cathartic;  it  will  reduce  the 
quantity  of  water  in  the  blood,  and  by  limiting  the 
blood  pressure  afford  relief. 

Treatment. — For  the  second  stage,  or  that  in 
which  the  inflammation  has  developed  an  abscess : 

1st.  Apply  warm  poultices  of  capsicum,  or  flax- 
seed, or  raisins. 

Capsicum  Poultice. — Place  in  a  small  cotton 
bag  a  mixture  consisting  of  three  parts  of  flour  and 
one  of  red-pepper  or  capsicum.  Warm  this  and 
apply  it  over  the  head  of  the  abscess  within  the 
mouth.    It  should  be  changed  every  three  hours. 

Flaxseed  Poultices. — These  may  be  made  by 


94  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

wrapping  flaxseed  in  strips  of  linen,  two  by  three 
inches;  after  heating  them,  apply  them  around  the 
abscessed  gum;  as  soon  as  the  poultice  becomes 
cool,  remove  it  and  substitute  a  warm  one.  The 
abscess  is  thus  brought  to  a  head  and  prepared  for 
the  lance  of  the  dentist.  Patients  should  never 
attempt  to  do  their  own  lancing,  lest  they  induce 
blood  poisoning. 

Raisin  Poultice. — This  may  be  made  by  cut- 
ting a  number  of  large  raisins  into  halves,  taking 
out  the  seeds  and  heating  them.  One  of  these 
should  be  applied  to  the  gums,  directly  above  the 
abscess.  As  soon  as  it  becomes  cool,  change  it  for 
a  warm  one.  Continue  this  treatment  for  several 
hours. 

As  the  breath  is  feverish  and  foul  during  the  de- 
velopment of  an  abscess,  the  patient  should  use 
either  of  the  following  mouth-washes  several  times 
a  day: 

i  st.  Rinse  the  mouth  with  a  solution  made  from 
a  teaspoonful  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  in  a  glass  of 
warm  water. 

2d.  Or,  the  following:  Carbolic  acid,  two  drams; 
glycerine,  four  drams;  rose  water,  ten  ounces. 

Sometimes  the  abscess  is  so  large  that  the  cheek 
is  swollen.  In  such  cases  apply  cold  applications  to 
the  face,  in  addition  to  the  warm  applications  to  the 


HINTS   ON    HOME  REMEDIES.  95 

gums.     Never  apply  heat  externally,  lest  the  ab- 
scess burst  there  and  leave  behind  it  an  ugly  scar. 

II.     Teeth  that  Ache  after  being  Filled. 

Diagnosis. — Sometimes  a  tooth  is  prematurely 
filled  by  the  dentist ;  that  is  to  say,  he  fills  the  tooth 
before  he  has  thoroughly  quieted  the  nerve,  in  a 
case  in  which  the  pulp  is  living;  or  in  one  in  which 
the  pulp  is  dead,  he  fills  the  tooth  before  he  has 
thoroughly  disinfected  the  pulp  chamber  and  re- 
moved the  dead  pulp.  It  may  also  happen  that 
after  the  cavity  has  been  filled,  in  spite  of  all  pre- 
cautions, the  pulp  dies  beneath  the  filling;  hence 
arise  two  classes  of  these  diseased  teeth — those 
with  living  pulps,  and  those  with  dead  pulps. 

When  the  pulp  is  alive  beneath  the  filling,  the 
patient  may  suffer  from  jumping,  or  intermittent 
toothache. 

Treatment. — Any  one  of  the  following  meas- 
ures may  be  employed : 

1st.  Take  a  hot  foot-bath;  this  will  equalize  the 
circulation,  and  by  relieving  the  blood  pressure 
will  relieve  the  pain. 

2d.  Take  a  saline  cathartic,  like  magnesia  or  ep- 
som  salts;  this  will  diminish  the  quantity  of  water 
in  the  blood,  and  so  will  relieve  the  blood  pressure 
on  the  pulp. 


96  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

B.       WHEN    THE    PULP    IS   DEAD    BENEATH    THE 

FILLING. 

Diagnosis. — The  same  as  in  the  case  of  unfilled 
teeth  with  dead  pulps. 

Treatment. — Also  the  same.  (See  disease  I, 
subdivision  B.) 

III.     Aching  Gums. 

This  may  be  due  to  an  accumulation  of  tartar 
underneath  them,  to  colds,  to  laceration  due  to  ex- 
traction, or  to  the  irritation  produced  by  a  recent 
cleaning  of  the  teeth. 

A.      ACCUMULATION   OF   TARTAR. 

Diagnosis. — The  gums  have  receded  from  the 
necks  of  the  teeth,  the  teeth  are  loose,  the  breath 
is  foul,  and  pus  oozes  from  the  gums. 

Treatment. — Rinse  the  mouth  with  tepid  water, 
in  which  one  or  two  teaspoonfuls  of  bicarbonate  of 
soda  have  been  dissolved.  Use  the  solution  at  in- 
tervals of  an  hour. 

B.       COLDS. 

Diagnosis. — The  pain  results  from  the  inflam- 
mation caused  by  exposure  to  currents  of  air  below 
the  normal  temperature  of  the  body. 


HINTS   ON    HOME   REMEDIES.  97 

Treatment. — Paint  or  rub  the  gums  with  a  mix- 
ture of  equal  parts  of  aconite  and  iodine,  or  rinse 
the  mouth  with  a  solution  of  one  dram  of  borax,  or 
chlorate  of  potash,  in  a  glass  of  water. 

C.       PAINFUL   SENSATION    FROM   RECENT   CLEANING. 

Diagnosis. — After  the  teeth  have  been  cleaned 
by  the  dentist,  they  ache  for  a  day  or  two,  and  are 
somewhat  sensitive. 

Treatment. — Rinse  the  mouth  with  either  of 
the  following  mouth-washes: 

1st.  Dissolve  a  teaspoonful  of  common  salt  in  a 
glass  of  warm  water,  to  be  used  every  half  hour. 

2d.  Rinse  the  mouth  with  a  mild  solution  of  bi- 
carbonate of  soda. 

d.     lacerated  gums  after  extraction. 

Diagnosis. — After  the  teeth  have  been  extracted, 
if  the  gums  are  lacerated  and  torn  the  patient  will 
suffer  considerable  pain.  The  breath  may  also  be 
foul,  because  of  consequent  sloughing. 

Treatment. — Use  tincture  of  calendula,  dilute  it 
with  an  equal  quantity  of  water,  as  a  mouth-wash 
every  three  hours.  It  hardens  the  gums,  soothes 
the  pain,  and  sweetens  the  breath. 

7 


98  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

IV.    Hemorrhage. 

Diagnosis. — It  sometimes  happens  that  the  ex- 
traction of  a  tooth  is  followed  by  excessive  hemor- 
rhage or  bleeding,  due  to  a  lack  of  coagulation  or 
thickening  property  in  the  blood,  or  to  a  hereditary 
tendency  to  hemorrhage. 

There  are  two  stages  of  hemorrhage — the  pri- 
mary and  the  secondary.  The  primary  occurs  at 
the  extraction  of  a  tooth,  and  is  normal ;  the  second 
hemorrhage  may  occur  several  hours,  or  even  a  day 
or  two  after  the  teeth  have  been  extracted. 

Treatment. — Place  the  patient  in  a  reclining 
position,  with  his  head  higher  than  the  rest  of  his 
body,  and  apply  bags  of  hot  water  to  his  feet.  His 
position  will  prevent  a  determination  to  the  head, 
and  the  water  bags  will  draw  the  blood  to  the  lower 
extremities. 

Before  applying  any  remedy  to  the  cavity,  wash 
it  very  carefully  with  warm  water,  or  the  remedy 
will  not  prove  as  effective. 

Make  a  firm  plug  of  styptic  cotton  and  force  it 
into  the  cavity;  cut  a  notch  in  a  cork  of  suitable 
size,  so  that  it  may  sit  astride  the  gum;  then  close 
the  mouth  firmly  upon  it,  and  bandage.  By  this 
means  the  cotton  will  be  forced  far  into  the  cavity, 
and  thus  check  the  flow  of  blood. 


HINTS   ON    HOME   REMEDIES.  99 

Hold  in  the  mouth,  until  bleeding  has  stopped,  a 
portion  of  a  solution  of  two  drams  of  borax  in  a 
glass  of  warm  water. 

The  bleeding  cavity  may  also  be  plugged  with 
leather  scrapings,  alum,  cob-webs,  or  pieces  of 
sponge  saturated  in  nut-galls.  Any  one  of  these 
will  usually  suffice  to  check  the  hemorrhage. 

While  these  remedies  are  being  employed,  the 
physician  or  dentist  should  be  sent  for  without 
delay. 

V.     Neuralgia. 

Diagnosis. — Neuralgia  is  usually  due  to  a  bad 
condition  of  the  teeth,  but  it  may  arise  from  some 
general  disease,  for  the  teeth  may  be  perfectly 
sound  and  yet  the  patient  suffer  from  intense 
neuralgia. 

Here  let  me  say  that  I  shall  dismiss  the  neural- 
gias due  to  constitutional  conditions  from  consider- 
ation, as  their  treatment  lies  within  the  province  of 
the  physician. 

The  nerves  of  the  face  are  very  numerous  and 
closely  connected.  They  form  a  complex  net- work, 
which  is  instantly  aroused  if  any  of  the  filaments 
are  irritated. 

In  the  sensitiveness  and  rapidity  of  their  trans- 
missions, nerves  are  like  electric  wires;  an  aching 


IOO  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

tooth  may  thus  cause  intense  neuralgia,  by  inducing 
sympathetic  pain  among  the  nerves  of  the  face  and 
the  head.  Such  pain,  of  course,  can  only  be  as- 
suaged by  allaying  the  pain  in  the  tooth.  Hence, 
to  check  neuralgia  due  to  any  of  the  teeth,  the  pa- 
tient need  only  ascertain  what  particular  ailment 
— as  cold,  tartar,  recent  extraction,  a  dead  or  a 
living  pulp — causes  the  pain,  and  apply  the  proper 
remedy. 

VI. — Foul  Breath. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  offensive  and  annoying 
features  accompanying  decayed  or  filthy  teeth.  It 
makes  its  victim  a  nuisance  in  society,  as  he  be- 
comes absolutely  repulsive,  and  yet  it  is  rarely  re- 
ferred to,  from  mistaken  notions  of  delicacy.  As  a 
rule,  the  patient  is  quite  unaware  of  his  condition. 
Sometimes  it  arises  from  a  disordered  stomach, 
catarrhal  troubles,  or  some  general  disease.  If  this 
be  the  case,  the  care  lies  with  the  physician,  but 
if  it  arises  from  bad  or  filthy  teeth,  he  should  see 
the  dentist,  and  in  the  meantime  rinse  the  mouth  two 
or  three  times  a  day  with  tepid  water,  in  which  two 
or  three  grains  of  permanganate  of  potash  have  been 
dissolved.  By  cultivating  the  habit  of  using  some 
reliable  antiseptic  mouth-wash  daily,  good  results 
would  invariably  follow. 


HINTS    ON    HOME    REMEDIES.  IOI 

VII.     Artificial  Teeth. 

Diagnosis. — Before  becoming  accustomed  to  ar- 
tificial teeth,  the  wearer  generally  suffers  from  sore- 
ness of  the  palate.  It  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  plate  is  not  accurately  fitted,  or  that  the  gums 
have  not  sufficiently  healed,  but  more  often  it  may 
be  attributed  to  the  novelty  of  having  an  artificial 
contrivance  in  the  mouth. 

Treatment. — Remove  the  teeth  for  a  few  days, 
to  allow  the  mouth  to  resume  its  normal  condition. 
If  there  is  considerable  soreness,  use  the  following 
wash : 

Take  a  lump  of  alum,  the  size  of  a  black-walnut, 
and  place  it  in  a  half  glass  of  water.  Keep  it  there  for 
five  minutes ;  then  rinse  the  mouth  with  the  solution. 

With  a  camel's-hair  brush  paint  the  sore  places 
of  the  mouth,  or  the  corresponding  positions  on 
the  plate,  with  the  following: 

Into  a  two-ounce  bottle,  with  a  wide  mouth,  put 
an  ounce  of  glycerine,  place  it  in  a  hot  bath,  and 
stir  in  slowly  two  ounces  of  tannic  acid. 

This  will  also  be  found  an  excellent  remedy  for 
the  lips  when  chapped  or  made  sore  by  dental  opera- 
tions. 

If  these  do  not  afford  relief,  see  the  dentist. 
Here  let  me  say  that  much  unnecessary  suffering  is 


102  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

the  result  of  persistently  removing  the  plate  and 
allowing  it  to  remain  out  of  the  mouth  for  a  greater 
or  less  period  of  time,  while  the  patient  is  becoming 
habituated  to  it.  In  spite  of  some  pain  and  incon- 
venience he  should  persevere,  and  only  when  the 
intensity  of  his  suffering  becomes  unbearable  should 
the  plate  be  removed,  and  the  treatment  above  out- 
lined  be  employed. 

VIII.     Dislocated  Jaws. 

Diagnosis. — Sometimes  during  laughing,  vomit- 
ing, etc.,  the  lower  jaw  is  dislocated ;  that  is  to  say, 
the  joints  or  condyles  are  forced  out  of  the  sockets. 
When  this  is  the  case  it  will  be  found  impossible  to 
close  the  mouth,  or  to  move  the  lower  jaw. 

Treatment. — I.  Let  the  patient  sit  in  a  low 
chair  that  is  tilted  backward  so  that  the  head  rests 
firmly  against  the  wall.  Next  let  some  friend  wrap 
his  thumbs  in  a  napkin  or  some  other  material  that 
will  protect  them  against  being  bitten,  and  grasping 
the  sufferer's  chin,  so  that  the  thumbs  rest  upon 
the  upper  surface  of  the  lower  back  teeth,  while  the 
remaining  fingers  encircle  the  outside  of  the  chin, 
let  him  exert  a  quick  downward  and  backward 
pressure,  and  the  jaw  will  be  forced  into  place. 

II.  Take  a  stick  of  convenient  size  and  about  a 
foot  long,  and  apply  one  end  of  it  to  the  upper 


HINTS    ON    HOME   REMEDIES. 


103 


surface  of  the  lower  back  teeth  on  one  side;  raise 
the  free  end  of  it  upward,  thus  using  it  as  a  lever, 
and  exerting  great  downward  and  backward  pres- 
sure, when  the  jaw 
will  be  sprung  into 
place    on    that    side. 
Do    precisely    the 
same    thing    on    the 
other  side,  and  this 
will  also  assume  its 
proper  position. 

IX.     Gas   Extrac- 
tion. 

Diagnosis. — Some- 
times after  gas  has 
been  administered,  a 
strong  feeling  of 
drowsiness  seizes  the 
patient. 

Treatment. — Let  him  get  into  the  fresh  air,  and 
inhale  large  draughts  of  it,  also  taking  a  little  brandy 
to  stimulate  the  action  of  the  heart.  If  the  desire 
for  sleep  be  not  gratified,  the  drowsiness  will  soon 
pass  away. 


A  Dislocated  Jaw. 


X. 


When  the  gums  are  lacerated  after  extrac- 


104  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND    MOUTH. 

tion,  it  is  sometimes  impossible  to  eat  solid  food. 
Make  a  mixture  consisting  of  a  glass  of  boiled  milk, 
two  soft-boiled  eggs,  and  some  sugar ;  drink  this  and 
it  will  prove  as  nourishing  as  a  good-sized  steak. 

In  conclusion,  let  me  say  that  these  remedies  are 
but  make-shifts;  they  may  afford  temporary  relief 
from  pain,  but  they  do  not  remove  the  cause  of  it. 
This  remains,  and  with  every  recurrence  of  the  pain 
the  efficacy  of  the  remedies  becomes  less  and  less, 
until  finally  it  is  reduced  to  nothing.  Hence  there 
can  be  but  one  source  of  permanent  relief,  and  that 
is  to  strike  at  the  root  of  the  trouble;  thus,  if  you 
suffer  from  the  accumulation  of  tartar,  let  the  den- 
tist remove  it ;  if  you  suffer  from  aching  filled  teeth, 
have  him  either  extract  them,  or  take  out  the  fill- 
ings and  prepare  them  again  for  fresh  filling. 

Let  the  patient  remember,  too,  that  it  is  not 
sufficient  to  have  only  the  aching  teeth  attended  to; 
wherever  it  is  necessary,  let  them  be  cleaned,  filled 
or  capped,  for  thus  only  can  every  source  of  disease 
be  removed  and  the  mouth  be  restored  to  a  healthy 
condition. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

QUACKERY. 

Every  family  has  its  black  sheep,  all  professions 
their  quacks;  and  dentistry  is  no  exception  to  the 
general  rule.  Here,  much  more  easily  than  in  any 
other  profession,  deceit  and  ignorance  may  be 
palmed  off  upon  the  layman  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  with  little  fear  of  detection  or  ex- 
posure. You  are  all  familiar  with  his  quackship, 
who  may  be  recognized  by  his  gaudy  signs  and  al- 
luring advertisements.    Here  are  some  of  them : 

"  Teeth  cleaned  for  50  cents !  " 

"  Teeth  filled  for  50  cents !  " 

"  Teeth  extracted  with  pain  for  25  cents;  without 
pain  for  50  cents!  " 

"  Artificial  teeth  made  for  $5.00  while  you  wait ! ,; 

Enticing  signs,  these,  are  they  not? 

"  Teeth  cleaned  for  50  cents !  " 

How  can  a  reputable  dentist  clean  a  set  of  teeth 
for  this  sum?  How  can  any  professional  man  live 
as  befits  his  station,  and  meet  the  current  expenses 


Io6  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

of  his  office,  and  work  for  fifty  cents  an  hour? 
No  dentist,  however  skilled  and  ingenious  he  may 
be,  can  on  an  average  thoroughly  clean  a  set  of 
teeth  in  less  than  an  hour,  and  how  often,  when 
the  mouth  is  very  filthy,  must  he  work  even  two  and 
three  hours.  It  requires  this  length  of  time  to 
clean  a  set  of  teeth,  because,  as  I  have  shown  in  a 
preceding  chapter,  cleaning  the  teeth  does  not  con- 
sist in  merely  giving  to  exposed  surfaces  a  bright 
polish,  but  in  thoroughly  removing  the  tartar  from 
beneath  the  gums,  where  it  has  accumulated  in 
thick  incrusting  cakes. 

How  then,  you  will  ask,  can  the  quack  clean  the 
teeth  for  50  cents?  How?  Through  the  use  of 
destructive  agents.  By  the  application  of  a  power- 
ful acid  he  can  do  the  work  of  hours  in  a  few  mo- 
ments. But  for  the  reasons  that  I  have  already 
explained,  in  those  few  minutes  the  action  of  the 
acid  has  wrought  greater  destruction  than  many 
years  of  wear  and  tear  could  effect.  This  is  how  the 
quack  works,  and  that  is  why  he  can  work  cheaply. 

"  Teeth  filled  for  fifty  cents!  " 

How  can  any  reputable  dentist  afford  to  fill  a 
tooth  for  that  sum?  How?  Listen  to  the  experi- 
ence of  Mr.  A.,  which  is  that  of  hundreds  of  others : 

"  I  had  my  teeth  filled  by  the  dentist,  and  the  pain 
was  intensified  a  thousand  fold.     I  suffered  from 


QUACKERY.  1 07 

jumping  toothache,  and  from  abscesses,  until  I  was 
almost  driven  wild.  It  was  not  until  the  filling  fell 
out  of  the  tooth  (thanks  to  bad  workmanship)  that 
I  obtained  any  relief  from  the  severity  of  my  suffer- 
ings." Upon  carefully  questioning  the  indignant 
complainant,  it  leaked  out  that  he  had  been  enticed 
into  the  parlors  of  the  50-cent  dentist. 

Good  filling  requires  that  the  dentist  should  care- 
fully examine  the  tooth  before  he  undertakes  to  fill 
it,  so  that  he  may  discover  whether  it  is  alive  or 
dead.  If  it  is  living,  before  he  can  fill  it  the  pulp 
must  be  soothed;  and  if  it  is  dead,  the  pulp-cham- 
ber and  canals  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  dis- 
infected. 

This  preliminary  work  is  laborious  and  difficult, 
and  no  dentist  can  undertake  it  for  the  mere  pit- 
tance my  complaining  friend  so  generously  paid. 
If  he  suffered  from  jumping  toothache,  it  was  be- 
cause the  dentist  worked  the  filling  into  the  tooth 
before  the  inflamed  pulp  was  quieted,  and  so  aggra- 
vated its  irritated  condition.  If  he  suffered  from 
abscesses  and  swellings,  it  was  because  his  tooth 
was  filled  before  the  pulp-chamber  and  canals  were 
properly  disinfected.  If  the  filling  fell  out  shortly 
after  it  was  put  in,  it  was  because  the  dentist  had 
not  spent  a  sufficient  and  necessary  length  of  time 
in  shaping  the  cavity  for  its  retention. 


108  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

"  Teeth  extracted  with  pain  for  25  cents;  without 
pain  for  50  cents !  " 

The  quack  excels  in  one  department  of  dentistry 
— extraction.  He  takes  out  everything  that  comes 
in  his  way.  Extraction  is  a  joy  to  his  heart.  He 
glories  and  revels  in  it.  Never  by  any  chance  does 
he  advise  his  patient  to  have  a  tooth  filled,  capped, 
or  crowned,  or  to  employ  any  one  of  the  numerous 
excellent  contrivances  which  modern  dentistry  has 
invented.  He  always  urges  that  it  be  pulled.  The 
task  of  extraction  is  brief,  and  the  remuneration 
comparatively  high,  when  one  considers  that  he 
charges  the  same  price  for  the  more  difficult  work 
of  filling  or  cleaning. 

The  harm  thus  worked  by  the  quack  is  incalcu- 
lable. Many  a  tooth  thus  ruthlessly  removed  might 
have  been  saved  by  the  reputable  dentist.  The 
majority  of  decaying  teeth  are  not  so  far  gone  but 
that  the  skilful  practitioner  can,  by  some  one  of  the 
many  ingenious  means  in  vogue,  manage  to  pre- 
serve them. 

"  Artificial  teeth  made  for  $5.00  while  you  wait!  " 

How  absurd.  No  one,  be  he  ever  so  clever,  can 
make  a  set  of  teeth  in  less  than  a  day  or  two,  nor 
can  any  dentist,  without  sacrificing  the  welfare  of 
his  patient,  afford  to  make  teeth  at  such  ridicu- 
lously low  figures. 


QUACKERY.  I09 

Two  elements  enter  into  determining  the  value  of 
a  set  of  artificial  teeth — workmanship  and  material. 

Workmanship. — This  includes:  ist,  natural  ap- 
pearance; 2d,  accurate  fit;  3d,  such  adaptation  as 
will  enable  the  possessor  to  perform  mastication 
and  articulation. 

Natural  Appearance. — The  teeth  must  be  so  con- 
structed as  to  preserve  all  the  characteristics  of  the 
natural  organs,  and  conform  to  the  physiognomy 
of  the  patient.  Shall  they  be  large  and  powerful, 
small  and  dainty,  or  shall  they  be  of  medium  size? 
What  hue  and  shade  shall  be  selected?  These 
are  questions  that  the  dentist  can  only  answer  after 
careful  study  of  each  individual  case,  for  the  patient 
can  readily  perceive  that  a  set  of  teeth  may  be  of 
very  fine  material,  and  yet  may  mar  his  appearance, 
because  they  are  not  in  harmony  with  his  general 
facial  expression. 

Accuracy  of  Fit. — Perfect  adaptability  of  the  den- 
ture to  the  tissues  is  necessary,  in  order  that  it  may 
set  firmly  in  the  mouth.  This  adaptability  can  only 
be  obtained  at  a  great  expenditure  of  time,  which 
the  quack  cannot  afford,  since  he  must  compensate 
his  cheapness  of  price  by  rapidity  of  work. 

Dental  plates  are  manufactured  on  models  made 
from  impressions  of  the  mouth.  These  impres- 
sions may  be  taken  in  wax,  or  some  similar  com- 


IIO  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

pound,  or  in  plaster-of-paris.  The  former  are 
taken  easily,  but  they  are  inaccurate.  The  latter 
are  obtained  with  difficulty,  but  they  are  exact.  It 
is  needless  to  say  that  our  friends  of  the  nourishing 
advertisements  always  dabble  with  wax  and  similar 
materials. 

Mastication  and  Articulation. — I  need  hardly  tell 
the  reader  that  unless  the  teeth  are  well  constructed, 
mastication  and  articulation  can  only  be  performed 
with  great  difficulty  and  inconvenience. 

Material. — Many  people  labor  under  the  im- 
pression that  artificial  teeth  are  all  of  the  same 
grade  of  material.  This  view  is  erroneous.  Just 
as  our  clothing  may  be  of  inferior  or  superior  qual- 
ity, so  it  is  with  the  porcelain  from  which  artificial 
teeth  are  manufactured. 

There  are  two  classes  of  porcelain  teeth.  One 
possesses  such  a  remarkably  vital  appearance,  that 
when  put  alongside  of  the  natural  teeth  the  most 
critical  eye  will  often  fail  to  distinguish  between 
them.  This  close  imitation  results  from  study,  and 
refined,  artistic  taste. 

The  other  class  has  a  dull,  opaque  and  lifeless  ap- 
pearance. It  lacks  all  those  essential  characteristic 
features  which  make  the  former  kind  of  porcelain 
invaluable  in  dental  art. 

The  reason,  therefore,  why  the  quack  works  at 


QUACKERY.  Ill 

such  low  figures  is,  that  he  employs  poor  workman- 
ship and  poor  material.  The  better  class  of  porce- 
lain is  worth  fully  three  times  as  much  as  the  infe- 
rior kind,  and  as  to  the  relative  values  of  good  and 
bad  workmanship  there  can  be  no  comparison 
whatever.  The  quack  works  minutes,  while  the 
painstaking  dentist  works  hours. 

Poor  teeth  are  injurious  physically,  aesthetically 
and  financially. 

Physically,  because  they  are  a  source  of  discom- 
fort to  the  patient.  Aesthetically,  because  they 
mar  his  appearance,  and  financially,  because  they 
are  not  durable. 

Teeth  are  necessities,  not  luxuries.  Bad  is  the 
policy,  and  worse  the  intelligence  that  will,  for  the 
sake  of  apparently  saving  a  few  dollars,  buy  ugly 
trash  instead  of  valuable  and  durable  material.  The 
few  dollars'  difference  in  the  price  between  good 
and  bad  teeth  are,  I  say,  only  seemingly  saved. 
This  is  true,  because  the  poorer  class  of  teeth  are 
worthless  in  every  respect,  whether  as  masticators, 
articulators,  or  beautifiers,  and  they  must  soon  be 
discarded  for  something  better. 

As  usual,  the  greatest  sufferers  at  the  hands  of 
the  quack  are  the  poorer  people,  who  are  readily  at- 
tracted by  the  cheap  prices  and  the  golden  promises 
of  speedy  benefits.     For  them  we  may  have  sym- 


112  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

pathy.  There  is,  however,  a  class  of  people  who 
have  the  means  wherewith  to  pay  for  good  dental 
work,  and  whom  experience  should  have  taught 
that  whatever  is  abnormally  cheap  is  worthless. 
For  them  there  is  no  excuse.  If  they  have  been 
deceived,  they  have  only  obtained  their  just  de- 
serts. Poverty  may  be  offered  as  an  extenuation, 
but  for  greed  there  is  no  excuse. 

In  the  long  run  it  will  pay  rich  and  poor  alike  to 
select  a  dentist,  not  from  the  standpoint  of  cheap- 
ness, but  of  ability.  It  is  true  that  he  may  charge 
what  appear  to  be  large  prices,  but  the  patient  will 
have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  has  had 
faithful  work,  and  that  he  has  been  given  the  ben- 
efit of  the  best  fruits  of  great  industry  and  knowl- 
edge. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  not  even  the  poor 
man  has  any  reason  for  resorting  to  the  quack,  for 
every  good  dentist  is  imbued  with  such  a  love  for 
his  profession  that  he  considers  not  alone  the  finan- 
cial side,  but  is  always  ready  to  make  due  allowance 
for  those  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  him  his  regular 
fees.  Nothing  then,  save  a  false  sentiment  of  pride 
which  may  make  him  ashamed  to  ask  for  the  reduc- 
tion, need  drive  the  poor  patient  from  the  doors  of 
the  skilled  practitioner  to  the  quack. 

I  have  sought,  in  this  chapter,  to  point  out  the 


QUACKERY.  113 

delusion  of  cheap  prices,  and  the  danger  and  men- 
ace that  the  quack  is  to  society.  If  I  have  suc- 
ceeded, I  shall  have  rendered  an  important  service 
to  every  one  who  is  obliged  to  seek  the  services  of 
the  dentist. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION  IN  DENTAL 

HYGIENE. 

Of  all  the  professions,  probably  none  has  made 
such  extraordinary  progress  within  the  last  century 
as  that  of  dentistry.  The  increase  in  the  number 
of  practitioners  alone  has  been  wonderful.  During 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  the  name  of  Robert 
Woofendale  is  mentioned  as  that  of  the  only  dentist 
in  America.  During  the  following  half  century, 
that  is,  up  to  a  period  within  the  memory  of  per- 
sons still  living,  the  profession  was  still  almost  en- 
tirely confined  to  itinerant  practitioners,  one  of 
whom  relates  that,  in  1817,  while  traveling  from 
place  to  place  between  Philadelphia  and  New  Or- 
leans, he  did  not  meet  with  a  single  person  calling 
himself  dentist.  Yet,  by  1850,  the  number  of  prac- 
ticing dentists  in  the  United  States  had  increased 
to  nearly  three  thousand;  twenty  years  later,  to 
approximately  eight  thousand;  and  by  1900,  accord- 
ing to  the  recent  census,  this  number  was  augmented 
to  29,683. 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.        115 

This  tremendous  growth  in  numbers  during  a 
period  of  fifty  years  is  accompanied  by  an  equally 
astonishing  increase  of  prestige  and  influence.  A 
profession,  the  exercise  of  which  had  been  rele- 
gated chiefly  to  barbers,  and  subsequently  to  chem- 
ists, upon  the  establishment  of  the  first  college  of 
dentistry  in  Baltimore  in  1849,  was  invested  with 
a  certain  dignity  and  independence.  The  example 
of  Baltimore  was  rapidly  imitated  in  other  parts 
of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  abroad,  and  from 
seven  colleges  in  1869  the  number  has  been  increased 
until  to-day  the  dental  profession  is  represented  by 
hundreds  of  similar  institutions  throughout  the 
world. 

The  rapid  increase  of  these  collegiate  institutions ; 
the  introduction  of  dental  courses  into  the  curric- 
ulum of  universities,  beginning  with  Harvard  in 
1867;  and  the  multiplication  of  dental  journals,  fol- 
lowing upon  the  first  publication  of  the  American 
Journal  of  Dental  Science  in  1830, — all  these  have 
tended  to  stimulate  that  active  spirit  of  investiga- 
tion which  characterizes  the  dental  profession  to- 
day. 

This  spirit  of  investigation  has  demonstrated  the 
extremely  close  relation  between  dentistry  and  other 
branches  of  medical  science,  and  has  shown  to  what 
an  extraordinary  degree  the  condition  of  the  teeth 


Il6  CARE  OF   THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

affects  the  general  health  of  the  body.  At  the  same 
time,  the  accumulated  private  experience  of  den- 
tists, as  well  as  the  statistical  investigations  recently 
conducted,  have  revealed  the  almost  incredible  ig- 
norance on  this  subject  prevailing  among  the  public 
in  general.  True,  the  dental  profession  itself  stands 
high  in  public  esteem.  The  proverbial  mechanical 
skill  of  the  American  dentist  has  served  to  spread 
his  fame  throughout  the  world  and  has  everywhere 
gained  for  him  confidence  and  respect.  The  public 
itself,  however — and  I  am  here  referring  to  the 
great  mass  of  the  population — while  appreciating 
the  skill  of  the  dental  operator,  is  still  in  a  condition 
of  lamentable  ignorance  regarding  the  fundamental 
importance  of  sound  and  healthy  teeth.  That  spirit 
of  indifference  toward  a  vital  and  elementary  func- 
tion which  once  thought  a  barber  or  a  glazier  suf- 
ficiently competent  to  draw  teeth  and  a  goldsmith 
to  fill  them,  is  to-day  revealed  in  the  shameful  neg- 
lect of  the  dental  organs  prevailing  among  mil- 
lions of  people,  and  the  almost  total  disregard  of  all 
hygienic  safeguards  tending  toward  their  preserva- 
tion. Specialists  are  consulted  in  all  cases  where 
complicated  internal  diseases  are  involved,  while  the 
neglect  of  the  very  organs  from  which  those  dis- 
eases frequently  proceed  goes  on  as  before. 

This  close  relation  between  the  teeth  and  innumer- 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.        XI7 

able  diseased  conditions  of  the  body  has  been 
brought  to  light  by  investigations  in  the  realm  of 
dentistry  and  in  the  wider  sphere  of  medicine.  The 
serious  nature  of  some  of  the  purely  local  disorders 
arising  from  decayed  and  defective  teeth  has  fre- 
quently been  explained  and  illustrated  by  the  author 
in  the  series  of  lectures  delivered  by  him  under  the 
auspices  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Education. 
That  various  maladies  of  the  eye  and  ear  may  be 
traced  to  the  same  source  is  now  generally  recog- 
nized ;  inflammatory  and  nervous  conditions  spread- 
ing from  the  teeth  to  the  other  organs  of  the  head 
have  been  known  seriously  to  affect  the  sight  and 
hearing.  How  largely  our  national  disorder,  dys- 
pepsia, with  its  dire  consequences  may  be  ascribed 
to  this  cause,  has  been  time  and  again  demonstrated ; 
and  the  same  may  be  said  of  that  almost  equally 
prevalent  malady,  neuralgia.  Even  lockjaw  and 
epilepsy  have  been  known  to  result  from  diseased 
conditions  of  the  mouth,  engendered  by  decayed 
teeth. 

The  neglect  of  the  teeth  is,  therefore,  perhaps, 
one  of  the  earliest,  most  immediate,  and  most  far- 
reaching  causes  of  disease,  a  fact  which  alone  should 
urge  the  advisability  of  making  dental  hygiene  a 
matter  of  public  instruction.  A  more  immediate 
reason,  however,  may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the 


Il8  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

mouth,  "  the  best  of  all  incubators,"  as  it  has  been 
called,  may  become  a  prolific  and  constant  source  of 
dangerous  maladies.  Nowhere  do  human  beings 
congregate  together  more  closely  and  constantly 
than  in  the  schoolroom,  and  nowhere  can  contagious 
diseases  be  more  easily  propagated.  Light  and  air, 
and  cleanliness  of  face,  hands  and  apparel,  on  the 
part  of  our  children,  are  now  considered  indispen- 
sable requirements  in  nearly  every  public  school 
throughout  the  country.  But  the  fact  is  utterly  dis- 
regarded that  a  single  unclean  mouth,  despite  all 
superficial  precautions,  may  vitiate  the  atmosphere 
of  a  schoolroom  and  become  a  fruitful  source  of 
disease.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  bacteria  enter 
the  human  system  chiefly  through  the  oral  cavity, 
where,  if  permitted  through  negligence  to  remain, 
they  increase  with  astonishing  rapidity,  gradually 
coating  the  mucous  membrane,  affecting  the  breath, 
and  frequently  engendering  diphtheria  and  other 
contagious  diseases,  the  germs  of  which,  as  is  well 
known,  are  usually  first  discovered  in  the  mouth. 
What  place  more  appropriate  than  the  schoolroom, 
therefore,  for  instilling  into  the  mind  of  youth  the 
necessity  for  cleanliness  of  the  teeth  and  mouth  ? 

The  teeth  and  mouth,  when  neglected,  are,  there- 
fore, the  most  direct  means  of  spreading  contagion 
in  the  schoolroom.    In  enumerating  the  reason  for 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION   IN  DENTAL   HYGIENE.        119 

introducing  dental  hygiene  into  the  schools,  I  do 
not  here  dwell  upon  the  element  of  beauty,  of  which 
the  teeth  are  so  important  a  requisite;  nor  do  I  em- 
phasize the  importance  of  perfect  and  regular  teeth 
as  a  means  of  correct  articulation.  In  view  of  the 
startling  facts  recently  brought  to  light  concerning 
the  deplorable  condition  of  the  teeth  among  our 
younger  generation,  an  exposition  of  the  aesthetic 
side  of  the  question  would  almost  seem  superfluous. 

The  public  investigations  conducted  abroad  dur- 
ing the  past  years  demonstrate  that  the  almost  in- 
credible condition  of  children's  teeth  everywhere 
is  not  due  solely  to  neglect,  but  also  to  heredity — an 
additional  reason  for  the  timely  exercise  of  hy- 
gienic safeguards.  Most  of  the  statistics  furnished 
are  those  of  school  children,  and  should,  therefore, 
have  particular  significance  for  us. 

Among  10,517  school  children  of  about  twelve 
years  of  age,  examined  by  Cunningham  in  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  35,279  diseased  teeth  were 
found;  only  about  1,500  of  these  children,  or  ap- 
proximately 14  per  cent.,  having  sound  teeth.  On 
another  occasion,  out  of  39,379  pupils  examined  by 
Cunningham,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  dental  exami- 
nations in  Great  Britain,  10,500,  or  about  one-third, 
had  teeth  in  various  stages  of  decay.  The  figures 
for  another  examination  conducted  by  this  expert 


120  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

are  still  more  astonishing,  and  show  that  of  the 
teeth  of  8,175  young  people  between  the  ages  of 
four  and  eighteen,  95  per  cent,  were  defective. 

As  regards  the  figures  for  Italy,  where  examina- 
tions were  conducted  by  Platschick,  the  report  for 
Milan  alone  shows  that  of  12,018  children  examined 
in  that  city,  92  per  cent,  had  teeth  in  various  stages 
of  decay. 

In  Germany  more  extensive  examinations  have 
been  conducted.  One  of  these  was  extended  to 
about  15,000  school  children  between  the  ages  of 
six  to  fifteen,  with  the  result  that  95  per  cent, 
showed  the  presence  of  dental  caries.  The  report 
states  that  "  372  anomalies  of  a  different  character 
were  found,  such  as  hare-lip,  cleft  palate,  irregu- 
larities, V-shaped  jaw,  and  the  like.,,  The  follow- 
ing table  more  specifically  illustrates  the  result  of 
this  examination  and  affords  convincing  proof  of 
the  almost  incredible  ignorance  and  neglect  con- 
cerning dental  hygiene  on  the  part  of  parents : 

TABLE    OF    EXAMINATIONS    CONDUCTED    IN    GERMAN 

SCHOOLS. 

a        *  r>     -i  Number  No.  with  ...  .Sf*111***.,., 

AgeofPupib  examined         perf.teeth       wrthperf.  wrtt 

6  to     8  years  6,060  407  3.8  93 

9  "    10      "  3,5i8  268  3.4  96.6 

12  "   15      "  5,157  172  5-5  94.5 

In  view  of  what  has  been  said  of  the  far-reaching 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.        121 

consequences  resulting  from  dental  neglect,  the 
above  figures  are  appalling.  Still  more  so  are  those 
given  for  special  cities  where  examinations  have 
been  conducted  immediately.  Among  3,000  school 
children  examined  in  Strasburg  only  165  had  per- 
fectly sound  teeth.  At  Freiberg,  where  8,000  chil- 
dren were  examined,  99  per  cent,  were  found  to 
have  teeth  in  various  stages  of  decay.  The  figures 
for  Leipzig  are  still  more  significant.  There,  Hopr 
per  examined  only  anterior  teeth,  which  in  children 
are  usually  exempt  from  caries,  with  the  result 
that  1,000  out  of  3,000  of  these  teeth  were  found 
to  be  in  various  stages  of  decay,  55  per  cent,  of  the 
children  presenting  ganglionic  swelling  of  dental 
origin.  In  Hamburg,  twelve  good  dentures  were 
met  with  among  355  children.  Upon  the  whole, 
the  examinations  in  Germany  showed  that,  in  the 
best  localities,  78  per  cent,  of  the  young  people  had 
diseased  teeth,  and  that  in  districts  where  calcium 
is  scarce,  the  figures  were  increased  to  99  per  cent. 
As  these  school  children  become  older,  the  de- 
structive action  of  dental  decay  becomes  more  evi- 
dent. This  fact  has  been  demonstrated  by  examina- 
tions held  in  the  schools  of  Russia,  the  results  of 
which  are  shown  in  the  subjoined  table.* 

*  The  author  begs  to  acknowledge  his  obligation  to  the  "  Dental 
Cosmos  Digest,"  and  various  other  special  works  and  reviews,  for 
valuable  statistical  material  submitted  in  this  work. 


122  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

*  __  n4  p,,„:ic  Percentage  Decayed  teeth 

Age  of  Pupxls  wkh  car.6s  pe*  head 

8  to  12  years  78.9  3 

12  "   16      "  86.6  4.5 

16  "  20     "  92.4  5  to  6 

It  was  in  "  barbarous "  Russia  that  dental  in- 
vestigations were  conducted  as  early  as  1879,  with 
the  result  that  80  per  cent,  of  the  inhabitants  of  St. 
Petersburg  were  found  to  have  defective  or  de- 
cayed teeth.  Is  it  not  an  object  lesson  for  us,  the 
people  of  New  York,  that,  in  1897,  the  Pedagogical 
Council  of  the  College  of  that  far-distant  city  of 
Batoum  should  already  have  provided  that  the 
scholars'  teeth  should  be  regularly  examined  by  den- 
tists ?  In  the  higher  military  schools  of  Russia  den- 
tal offices  have  been  established,  where  every  avail- 
able means  is  employed  to  preserve  organs  which 
are  there  considered  of  the  most  vital  importance  to 
health.  In  1896  Russian  dentists  went  so  far  as  to 
formally  petition  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  to 
organize  a  regular  department  of  dental  hygiene 
throughout  the  empire.  A  striking  proof  of  the 
estimate  in  which  teeth  are  held  in  Russia  was  re- 
cently furnished  by  the  Civil  Court  of  St.  Peters- 
burg, which  awarded  the  extraordinary  sum  of 
$50,000  to  a  singer  for  the  loss  of  five  teeth  in_a 
railway  accident. 

If  these  things  can  be  done  in  Russia,  why  can 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.         1 23 

they  not  be  done  in  the  United  States  where  the 
need  is  far  greater?  The  experience  of  American 
dentists  will  fully  justify  the  assertion  that  more  than 
50  per  cent,  of  people  in  this  country  above  the  age 
of  forty-five  are  to-day  wearing  artificial  teeth. 
Such,  indeed,  are  the  conditions  at  present  prevail- 
ing that  it  is  hardly  an  exaggeration  to  declare  that 
we  are  rapidly  becoming  a  toothless  people.  More- 
over, it  is  necessary  to  consider  that,  particularly  in 
the  large  cities  of  the  United  States,  we  are  dealing 
with  a  heterogeneous  population,  which  is  constantly 
being  augmented  by  accessions  from  abroad — ac- 
cessions which  are  drawn  largely  from  the  poor 
and  ignorant  classes  of  Germany,  Scandinavia,  Italy, 
Hungary,  Bohemia,  Russia,  and  other  foreign  coun- 
tries. Quite  apart  from  this,  however,  the  crowded 
condition  of  the  teeth  of  the  average  American  child 
— and  I  here  refer  to  the  native-born  element — is, 
in  itself,  if  neglected,  one  of  the  most  fruitful  sources 
of  early  dental  decay. 

The  only  way  to  strike  at  the  root  of  the  evil  is 
to  begin  in  the  schoolroom.  It  is  hardly  to  be  ex- 
pected that  the  example  recently  furnished  by  a  pri- 
vate citizen  of  Hamburg  will  be  followed  by  boards 
of  education  in  the  United  States.  The  Gustave 
Mellin  institution,  of  Hamburg,  named  in  honor  of 
its  founder,  and  provided  with  an  endowment  of 


124  CARE   OF  THE   TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

half  a  million  marks,  has  been  established  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  treating  the  teeth  of  poor  school 
children  of  the  city  free  of  charge.  As  this  fund 
has  not  proved  sufficient,  however,  the  government 
has  been  petitioned  to  lend  further  pecuniary  aid  in 
order  to  arrest  the  ravages  of  dental  caries.  What 
can  and  should  be  done  in  the  United  States,  and 
what  devolves  upon  us  as  an  imperative  duty,  is  to 
inculcate  into  the  mind  of  the  child  the  fundamental 
principles  of  dental  hygiene. 

It  is  in  the  schoolroom  that  the  future  American 
is  formed.  Here  all  the  heterogeneous  elements  of 
our  population  are  assembled ;  and  here  their  entire 
education  is  supervised  and  controlled  by  the  prop- 
erly constituted  authorities.  As  lecturer  on  dental 
hygiene  for  many  years,  I  have  gathered  the  ex- 
perience that  the  parents  themselves  are  deeply  in- 
terested in  this  branch  of  education  and  would  cor- 
dially welcome  a  regular  course  in  dental  hygiene 
as  part  of  the  curriculum.  That  such  a  course 
would  react  beneficially  upon  the  home  itself  is  also 
beyond  question.  The  mind  of  the  child — provided 
that  instruction  be  properly  given — is  far  more  sus- 
ceptible than  that  of  the  adult;  and  while  lectures 
are  productive  of  much  good,  they  only  reach  a  com- 
paratively small  part  of  the  population,  whereas  a 
course  in  oral  hygiene  would  permanently  affect  our 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.         1 25 

entire  generation.  While  it  is  improbable,  and  per- 
haps impracticable,  in  the  light  of  present  conditions, 
that  dental  treatment  will  be  extended  to  the  chil- 
dren visiting  our  schools,  the  knowledge  diffused 
concerning  preventive  and  curative  hygiene,  as  well 
as  the  salutary  effect  of  such  knowledge  indirectly 
upon  the  home,  would  undoubtedly  be  attended  by 
far-reaching  results. 

That  these  results  could  be  accurately  determined 
by  regular  dental  examinations,  conducted  by  com- 
petent professional  men  in  the  schools,  is  likewise 
certain.  The  tests  concerning  the  condition  of  the 
organs  affecting  the  most  vital,  and  certainly,  so  far 
as  these  organs  themselves  are  concerned,  most  neg- 
lected, physical  functions,  could  be  conducted  very 
expeditiously.  They  would  consume  an  infinites- 
imal amount  of  time  as  compared  to  the  examina- 
tions on  the  various  mental  qualifications ;  and  would 
they  not  be  equally  important? 

I  have  hitherto  discussed  this  matter  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  professional  dentist,  and  have  en- 
deavored to  demonstrate  its  fundamental  importance 
as  affecting  the  health  and  well-being  of  our  grow- 
ing generation.  The  best  argument  in  its  favor, 
given  from  the  broad  standpoint  of  the  educator,  is 
that  embodied  in  the  well-known  work  of  Herbert 
Spencer   entitled    "  Education,    Intellectual,    Moral 


126  CARE   OF   THE   TEETH    AND    MOUTH. 

and  Physical."  "  What  knowledge  is  of  most 
worth  ?  "  inquires  the  author.  "  That  knowledge 
or  education  which  subserves  direct  self-preserva- 
tion by  preventing  the  loss  of  health."  After  ex- 
patiating at  some  length  upon  the  primary  value  of 
hygienic  education,  the  author  makes  the  extremely 
apt  and  humorous  assertion  that  "  men  who  would 
blush  if  caught  saying  '  Iphige'nia,'  instead  of  '  Iph- 
igen'ia/  show  not  the  slightest  shame  in  confessing 
that  they  do  not  know  where  the  Eustachian  tubes 
are,  what  are  the  actions  of  the  spinal  chord,  what 
is  the  normal  state  of  pulsation,  or  how  the  lungs 
are  inflated." 

Herbert  Spencer  advocates  a  course  in  physiology 
as  of  primary  importance ;  and  it  may  be  urged  that 
such  a  course  has  already  been  introduced  into  many 
of  our  schools  throughout  the  country.  Now,  physi- 
ology is  a  very  broad  subject,  and  a  general  survey 
of  it,  while  undoubtedly  essential,  must  necessarily 
be  very  superficial.  Thus,  chapters  of  vital  and 
fundamental  importance  will  frequently  cover  about 
the  same  amount  of  space  in  our  text-books  as  those 
which  merely  derive  their  value  from  their  general 
relation  to  the  subject  as  a  whole. 

What  is  more  important,  to  know  the  location 
and  purpose  of  the  Eustachian  tubes,  or  to  have  a 
clean  mouth  which  shall  not  contaminate  the  at- 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.         127 

mosphere  of  the  entire  schoolroom  and  exhale  the 
germs  of  disease,  and  a  sound  set  of  teeth  with  a 
fairly  accurate  knowledge  of  their  nature,  value,  and 
the  means  requisite  to  their  preservation?  Another 
reason  for  the  inadequacy  of  these  text-books  is  that 
they  are  designed  for  the  more  advanced  grades, 
whereas  it  is  of  primary  importance  that  the  pupil 
should  have  a  knowledge  of  the  elements  of  dental 
and  oral  hygiene  as  soon  as  he  knows  how  to  read. 
That  the  language  in  which  these  books  on  physi- 
ology are  written  would  be  incomprehensible  to  pu- 
pils in  the  higher  primary  grades  is  also  beyond 
question.  The  greatest  of  all  drawbacks  to  them, 
however,  is  the  thoroughly  ambiguous  and  fre- 
quently erroneous  character  of  the  definitions  on 
the  teeth  as  therein  given. 

A  convincing  and  sweeping  illustration  of  the 
last-mentioned  statement  was  afforded  last  year  by 
the  investigation  concerning  these  text-books  set 
on  foot  by  the  Dental  Society  of  Reading,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Fifty-two  dental  surgeons  throughout  the 
state — approximately  one  for  every  county — were 
commissioned  to  examine  the  various  text-books  on 
physiology  used  in  the  schools.  The  following  are 
a  few  selections  from  seven  of  these  books  as  sub- 
mitted by  the  examining  dental  surgeons  and  pub- 
lished in  the  "  Dental  Cosmos  "  for  December,  1901 : 


128  CARE  OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

i.  In  a  young  child  the  two  bicuspids  resemble 
the  molar  teeth  of  the  adult,  and  the  three  molars 
are  absent. 

2.  Teething  seldom  causes  sickness  in  a  healthy 
child. 

3.  At  about  the  age  of  six  a  whole  new  set  begins 
to1  grow  beneath  the  first  set. 

4.  The  permanent  teeth  are  fully  developed  in 
the  jawbones  beneath  the  temporary  set  before  they 
appear. 

5.  Around  the  root  is  a  thin  layer  of  bone  called 
cement. 

6.  The  wisdom  tooth  does  not  appear  until  the 
25th  year. 

7.  Each  tooth  is  set  into  the  jawbone  like  a  post 
into  a  hole. 

8.  The  roots  of  the  teeth  sink  into  the  bony  sock- 
ets much  like  a  nail  in  a  piece  of  wood. 

9.  Destruction  of  enamel  at  any  point  exposes  the 
entire  cavity  and  decay  results. 

10.  The  teeth  are  similar  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
mouth,  and  are  the  same  in  the  upper  and  lower 
jaws. 

Quite  apart  from  the  vague  character  of  these 
definitions  and  the  frequent  errata   found  in  the 


SCHOOL    INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.         1 29 

books  examined,  not  a  single  physiology  mentions 
the  word  "  antiseptic  " ;  so  that  the  most  important 
element  involved  is  entirely  overlooked.  The  ex- 
amination afforded  convincing  proof  of  the  fact  that 
we  are  living  in  an  age  of  specialization,  and  that 
material  on  so  important  a  subject  as  dental  hy- 
giene, especially  when  designated  for  laymen  or  for 
the  use  of  children,  should  be  prepared  by  those 
professionally  qualified  for  the  task  and  equipped 
with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  requirements  of 
the  schoolroom. 

Here,  then,  we  have  a  number  of  reasons  why 
special  instructions  on  the  care  of  the  teeth  and 
mouth  should  constitute  a  permanent  feature  of  our 
school  curriculum,  even  though  such  instruction  be 
limited  to  a  brief  reading  lesson  of  half  an  hour 
three  times  a  week. 

That  the  subject  is  not  an  unattractive  one,  even 
to  very  young  pupils,  I  have  reason  to  know  from 
the  personal  reports  of  teachers;  that  the  parents 
are  interested  in  the  matter  has  already  been  shown ; 
and  that  the  school  boards  throughout  the  country 
are  gradually  becoming  alive  to  the  importance  of 
the  matter  here  involved  is  also  evident.  As  one 
of  the  earlier  agitators  in  the  field,  I  well  remember 
the  complete  apathy  and  indifference  with  which, 
at  first,  all  efforts  tending  toward  a  recognition  of 

9 


130  CARE   OF  THE  TEETH   AND   MOUTH. 

the  importance  of  the  subject  by  the  heads  of  schools 
was  greeted.  One  of  the  principal  objections  urged 
was  the  apparent  inability  to  prepare  instructive 
material  of  palatable  form,  and  sufficient  in  quantity 
to  warrant  its  adoption  as  a  special  branch  of  study ; 
and  when  this  difficulty  was  adequately  met,  other 
arguments  were  brought  forward,  all  of  which  may 
be  epitomized  in  a  single  sentence — the  overcrowd- 
ing of  the  curriculum. 

The  overcrowding  of  the  school  course  has  been 
urged  as  an  objection  in  certain  quarters,  both  as 
regards  dental  examinations  and  the  far  more  im- 
portant matter  of  instruction  in  dental  hygiene. 
One  city  claims  that  dental  examinations  would  fur- 
nish a  precedent  for  others  aiming  at  the  establish- 
ment of  the  physical  condition  of  other  organs. 
Why,  then,  let  me  ask,  have  these  examinations 
been  introduced  into  Russia,  Germany,  Japan,  Eng- 
land, France,  Italy,  Belgium,  Sweden  and  Den- 
mark ?  In  face  of  the  statistics  revealed  abroad  and 
the  far  worse  conditions  known  to  exist  in  many 
portions  of  this  country,  such  a  plea  as  the  above 
is  preposterous.  Despite  these  occasional  objec- 
tions, however,  the  movement  on  behalf  of  dental 
examinations  is  steadily  progressing,  as  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  even  that  far  Western  city  of  Spo- 
kane, Washington,  has  recently  appointed  nine  den- 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION    IN   DENTAL   HYGIENE.         131 

tists  to  examine  the  teeth  of  the  school  children  of 
the  city. 

As  regards  the  school  curriculum  itself,  the  ques- 
tion becomes  one  of  the  relative  importance  of  stud- 
ies. The  Board  of  Education  of  New  York  City, 
recognizing  the  pressure  of  the  times  and  realizing 
the  tremendous  importance  of  subjects  of  immediate 
utility,  has  recently  made  a  number  of  salutary 
changes,  making  room,  for  example,  for  stenography 
and  other  branches  designed  to  enable  the  pupil  on 
leaving  school  to  obtain  a  livelihood.  Deeper  than 
the  question  of  utility,  however,  and  underlying  it, 
is  that  affecting  the  future  well-being  of  the  indi- 
vidual; and  there  is  no  factor  deeper,  nor  more 
fundamental  in  this  regard,  than  that  bearing  upon 
the  preservation  of  the  teeth.  To  this  end  the  school 
must  co-operate  with  the  family;  and,  inasmuch  as 
it  has  been  here  convincingly  demonstrated  by  sta- 
tistics that  the  family  cannot  be  relied  upon  to  safe- 
guard what  may,  perhaps,  be  considered  as  one  of 
the  most  vital  physical  functions,  it  devolves  upon 
the  school  to  inculcate  the  principles  of  dental 
hygiene. 


PRESS  COMMENTS 

Under  this  title  we  have  a  hundred  pages  devoted  to  the  exposi- 
tion in  popular  style  of  useful  knowledge  pertaining  to  dentistry; 
useful  to  the  lay  reader,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing  the  dental 
practitioner  with  not  a  few  valuable  hints  as  to  his  relations  with  types 
of  patients.  Certainly  the  work  of  many  would  be  rendered  lighter 
were  the  information  contained  in  this  small  volume  acquired  by 
patients.  .  .  .  Not  the  least  service  to  be  derived  from  such  a 
work  is  the  cure  of  some  of  the  bickering  which  at  times  annoys  the 
professional  man.  Every  dentist  should  have  a  copy  in  his  reception 
room. 

March,  1894.  Dental  Cosmos,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

This  little  volume  of  over  one  hundred  pages  was,  as  its  title  in- 
dicates, written  for  the  purpose  of  diffusing  general  information  upon 
a  subject  that  should  interest  every  man,  woman  and  child.  There  is 
no  question  that  the  condition  of  the  oral  cavity  has  a  very  important 
influence  upon  the  general  health,  aside  from  the  very  idea  of  comfort 
and  external  appearance.  If  the  knowledge  which  it  contains  could 
be  conveyed  to  every  parent,  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  might  result  in 
a  lengthening  of  the  average  term  of  existence. 

Especially  should  the  simple  truths  which  the  book  inculcates  be 
taught  to  every  school  child.  Works  on  general  hygiene  and  physi- 
ology are  included  in  school  text-books,  but  here  are  some  of  the 
most  essential  truths  in  both,  together  with  much  other  special 
knowledge,  in  a  condensed  form,  and  in  such  guise  as  will  prove 
interesting  even  to  children.  Some  such  work  should  be  included  in 
the  curriculum  of  our  common  schools. 

There  is  much  in  this  book  that  would  prove  of  benefit  to  the 
practitioner.  It  is  simple  and  easy  in  its  diction,  and  very  attractive 
in  its  general  appearance.  Its  place  in  the  dental  office  is  upon  the 
center  table,  where  it  may  be  perused  with  pleasure  and  profit  by 
waiting  patients.  Under  such  conditions  its  high  ethical  tone  would 
tend  greatly  to  the  profit  of  every  competent  dentist. 

April,  1894.  Dental  Practitioner,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


PRESS   COMMENTS. 

.  .  .  The  last  chapter  on  "Quackery"  is  very  good,  and  it  would 
be  well  if  all  could  read  it  and  profit  by  it.  If  the  book  can  be  cir- 
culated where  most  needed,  it  would  do  a  great  amount  of  good. 

May,  1894.  Southern  Dental  Journal,  Macon,  Ga. 


.  .  .  If  it  were  within  the  limits  of  reasonable  expectation  an 
effort  should  be  made  to  bring  the  book  before  the  public  who  have  use 
for  the  services  of  a  dentist,  and  if  read  intelligently  by  them,  they  would 
begin  to  understand  something  of  the  requirements  of  many  cases. 

April,  1894.  Pacific  Dental  Journal,  Tacoma,  Wash. 


.  .  .  Dr.  Victor  C.  Bell,  of  this  city,  has  published  a  popular 
treatise  upon  a  subject  which  is  of  engrossing  interest  to  every  mother. 
The  work  is  the  outgrowth  of  practical  experience,  and  the  author 
justly  says  that  for  years  he  has  noted  and  deplored  the  lack  of  infor- 
mation upon  dental  subjects  that  is  displayed  by  otherwise  intelligent 
people.  He  has  supplied  a  real  want  by  his  lucid  and  well  considered 
work. 

June,  1894.  Babyhood,  New  York. 

.  .  .  This  little  book  has  just  appeared,  comprising  about  one 
hundred  pages. 

It  is  written  to  diffuse  a  more  general  knowledge  of  dentistry  to 
the  layman,  and  seeks  to  fill  a  long-felt  want. 

It  is  abundantly  illustrated  and  gives  numerous  recipes  for  lotions 
and  dental  powders. 

It  is  on1y  necessary  to  refer  to  the  chapter  on  micro-organisms, 
which  has  been  copied  from  Prof.  Miller,  of  Berlin,  to  see  that  the 
author's  desire  to  give  an  up-to-date  work  has  been  accomplished. 

We  welcome  the  first  edition  with  all  its  merits  and  demerits. 

May  5,  1894.  Medical  Record,  New  York. 


.  .  .  It  [the  book]  contains  a  mass  of  information  concerning 
matters  vital  to  every  man  and  woman,  and  it  is  stated  in  such  a  terse 
and  vigorous  way  that  it  makes  attractive  reading.  I  can  give  it  my 
unqualified  approval. — Prof.  W.  C.  Barrett,  of  Buffalo. 


PRESS   COMMENTS. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  met  with  in  dentistry  has 
been  the  ignorance  of  the  general  public,  both  in  regard  to  personal 
care  of  teeth  as  well  as  the  value  of  dental  services.  A  half-century 
ago  this  was  the  chief  stumbling-block  in  the  practice  of  that  period, 
for  at  that  time  the  majority  of  persons  had  no  higher  conception  of 
a  dentist's  duty  than  asa"  puller  of  teeth,"  and  it  is  therefore  not 
surprising  that  dental  services  then  were  mainly  confined  to  this. 

Since  that  period  a  great  change  has  been  effected,  but  so  much 
is  still  to  be  desired  in  this  direction  that  any  effort  made  to  enlighten 
the  general  public  must  be  received  with  pleasure.  Hence  Dr.  Bell's 
effort  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  of  any  in  this  direction. 

The  book,  as  a  whole,  can  be  cordially  commended. 

April,  1894.  International  Dental  Journal,  Phila.,  Pa. 


The  work  consists  of  twelve  chapters  and  about  one  hundred 
pages.  It  discusses  briefly  and  quite  clearly,  Cleanliness  of  the 
Teeth,  Filling,  Extraction,  Artificial  Teeth,  Children's  Teeth,  Crown 
and  Bridgework,  Advice  to  Mothers,  etc.,  in  a  way  that  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  profitable  to  the  general  reader.  To  give  information 
upon  these  subjects  to  the  public  has  long  been  regarded  by  the  pro- 
fession as  a  very  important  matter.  Were  the  people  properly 
informed  of  the  value  of  the  teeth  to  the  animal  economy,  and  what 
can  be  done  for  their  preservation,  and  be  made  sufficiently  to  appre- 
ciate them  in  all  respects,  there  would  be  vastly  less  of  disease  of  the 
mouth  and  teeth  and  loss  of  the  latter  than  is  now  realized. 

This  work,  if  it  could  be  distributed  among  the  public,  would 
certainly  do  much  towards  furthering  a  knowledge  of  and  appreciation 
for  the  teeth. 

Dr.  Bell  will  doubtless  have  the  thanks  of  the  profession  for  this 
book,  and  we  would  heartily  commend  it  to  every  dentist  for  use  in 
his  reception  room. 

March,  1894.  Dental  Register,  Cincinnati,  O. 


.     .     .     A  few  copies  for  gratuitous  circulation  would  be  seed  well 
sown. 

April,  1894.  Items  of  Interest,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Vv 


II 


ism 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 

This  book  is  due  on  the  date  indicated  below,  or  at  the  g 
expiration  of  a  definite  period  after  the  date  of  borrowing,  as  f 
provided  by  the  rules  of  the  Library  or  by  special  arrange- 
ment with  the  Librarian  in  charge. 


DATE  BORROWED 


tSL 


UP- 


DATE DUE 


DATE  BORROWED 


DATE  DUE 


"SK* 


B41 
1908 


11  «f 

Popular  essays  upon  the  care 
the  teeth  and  mouth. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES  (hsl.'stx) 

RK61B41  1908  C.1 

Popular  essays  upon  the  care  of  the  teet 


